True Love
by TotallyNonchalantFBI
Summary: Margaret, the Princess of Glauderhaven, regretted letting Eric go the minute he left her castle. Determined to bring back the best king for her future kingdom, she sets out for him. Meanwhile, Ariel is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for a chance at true love, leaving behind a bigger mess than even she anticipated. Which woman prevails, and at what cost?
1. The Princess' Regret

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As soon as she saw him sail away she regretted letting him go. She knew it was her fault too, she had put no effort into being a good hostess or a charming young lady, much like her mother, the queen, had instructed her to. Maybe that's perhaps why she was so rude to Eric. Because she was instructed not to be.

Margaret was seventeen years, four mounts, and eight days old. And with her eighteenth birthday so rapidly approaching, her parents started to focus less on the absence in her understanding of herself, her position, her culture, and more on the absence of a wedding band on her fourth finger. After all, she was the princess of Glauderhaven, and was expected to rule with a husband by her side.

Margaret often asked for people to call her Margie, but even after several requests, it didn't stick, so she was stuck with Margaret, whether she liked it or not.

"I liked him, mother." Margaret admitted to Queen Anne, her mother.

"Well you had the most peculiar way of showing it." Queen Anne huffed. "Every time he even opened his mouth to say 'Good morning' you would make the snidest of remarks and not even give him a second look. Your only redeeming quality was that you spent so much time burrowed in your tower, you exponentially reduced your time to offend him."

"…I know." Margaret mumbled.

Queen Anne's demeanor quickly shifted. "…but are you saying you really did fancy him?"

"Oh, yes!" Margaret said, both excitedly and softly. "I so wish he stayed just another week, to give me time to apologize and change his perception of me."

"Well," Queen Anne stood, as she was a woman of action, she clashed with her daughter, yet, on this issue, her actions were exactly what Margaret was hoping for. "in that case, why don't we send _you_ after _him_?"

"Oh, mother, thank you!" Margaret smiled gently, resting a hand on her heart. "I shall send off to pack immediately!" She lifted the corner of her gown and glided upstairs to pack properly.

At the time of Margaret's revelation, Eric was only three minutes out to sea. By the time Margaret brought her feelings up, he had been sailing for two weeks and was near docking.

"Almost there, m'boy." A portly sailor clamped Eric on the shoulder.

Eric gave a crooked smile. "I almost wish we weren't. While I do miss the kingdom, I just love the sea – the smell of the air, the mist in your face…it's wonderful."

"Aye, we noticed." The sailor joked. "Why if you weren't the sole heir, we'd slap some fins on you and toss ya in the sea!"

"Wait, you can do that?" Eric said, a little less jokingly than he originally meant.

"You might not like being a fish as much as you think." The sailor said, pointing up at the sky. "Look, storm's brewin'. Ain't you glad you got a nice safe ship? Nothing's gonna happen on here."

"Eh, legs do have some perks. I guess." Eric smiled again.

The sailor chuckled and went to go help adjust the jib. Eric leaned forward and watched as the ship plowed through the waves, conquering the sea, all while barely breaking the surface.

…

Ariel laid on her stomach, tracing circles on her pillow.

"Ariel, are you okay?" Flounder asked.

"I just don't understand him sometimes." Ariel said, speaking of her father's recent outburst. "He just won't even listen! I've been to the surface – hundreds of times! Nothing has ever happened to me, and he still thinks that it's dangerous. Look at this!" Ariel grabbed a dinglehopper off her end table. "Does this look dangerous to you?"

Flounder shook his head.

"Of course not, you're reasonable." Ariel sighed. "It's fantastic." She opened a drawer and put the dinglehopper in.

"Uh, do you want to go exploring?" Flounder pressed. He hated seeing Ariel so upset, and knew that new treasures always cheered her up.

"No." Ariel said firmly, sitting up, fire in her eyes. "I want to go to the surface." Without another word, she swam out the window and upwards as quickly as she could. She broke the surface and pushed her hair back. Her head swiveled to admire her surroundings. A shore was only 500 yards away, and a rather impressive boat was nearing it.

"I've never seen a boat in that good of condition before!" Ariel smiled. The shipwrecks were usually falling apart by the time she found them. "Come on!" she motioned to Flounder and the two swam as quickly as their fins could take them.

Ariel pushed herself up onto a larger boulder, large blue eyes barely peering over, just enough to see the humans disembarking. Suddenly, she felt her breath taken away. Broadly smiling and stepping off the ship, was the most handsome human she had ever seen. He had wavy ebony hair, pushed back so it stayed out of his piercing blue eyes. He swiveled his head over and seemed to stare through Ariel. Knowing it would be foolish to be spotted, Ariel tore herself away and ducked behind the rock, pressing her back to it and scrunching her eyes shut, as if the humans could not see her if she couldn't see them.

Eric still though he had seen something strange, something red, but as he looked closer, it seemed to disappear.

_Optical illusion_. He thought to himself._ Must be from all the sea air._

Ariel wanted to swim to shore immediately, meet this man, talk to him, or even just see him closer. But her father's years of warnings pounded in her head – be spotted, be killed. So, as much as it killed her on the inside, she pushed herself off the rock and back into the ocean, determined to return.

…

Margaret sat in her cabin, nonchalantly playing with the ends of her hair. It was a dirty blond, almost brown, and was slightly lighter than the color of her eyes. Her dress was a soft grey, accentuating her lifeless skin, kept pale by years of staying indoors - for propriety's sake, and because it was her personal preference.

She hoped Eric would be welcoming. He was so sweet during his entire visit, which lasted nearly a month. Her heart dropped into her stomach as she remembered how unkind she was. While she was not verbally abusive, at least, not terribly, she had been rather snarky, she had been so…plain. She ignored him, sat up in her room, secluded herself.

She rolled onto her stomach and pressed her face into her pillow, hoping it would block the sunlight streaming in through the portholes, and finally allow her to rest.

Maybe she could try to be more engaging. It was awfully tiring, constantly moving and talking, but she could give it a try. After all, he was worth it. He was so handsome, and kind, and would surely make a wonderful king. After all, wasn't what all this was about? She need not concern herself with finding a good husband, only a good king, and the rest would fall into place.

She rolled once again onto her back, and began forming a plan to get Eric, determined to return with his ring on her finger.


	2. The Surprise

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"I have to see him again…" Ariel mumbled, swimming rhythmically around her room.

"Ariel…" Flounder said cautiously. "I-I'm not too sure this is a good idea."

It had been almost two weeks since Ariel had last seen Eric, and she hadn't stopped talking about him yet. His eyes, his hair, he was the most gorgeous human she had ever seen, and she was determined to see him again.

"Oh Flounder, don't be such a guppy." Ariel scolded kindly. "…I've never felt this way about anyone." She sighed lovingly, sinking back onto her bed and giggling. "He's the one – I know it!"

Flounder bit his lip and sank back into a corner. Ariel was rather oblivious to her surroundings at the moment, but Flounder's poker face was so terrible, she still noticed.

"Flounder…what's wrong?" Ariel asked, lifting an eyebrow and looking very concerned.

"Uh, I don't think I supposed to tell you."

"Flounder, if something is the problem, you have to tell me! I can help you – I'm your best friend, after all!" Ariel insisted.

"Nothing is wrong, I guess. I'm fine!" Flounder promised.

"Well then why on earth are you so nervous?" Ariel questioned, relaxing a bit.

"Well, I think your father is going to t-tell you tonight." Flounder nodded, confirming his story. "Oh Ariel, don't tell him you knew! I wasn't supposed to tell you! I wasn't even supposed to know – I overheard!"

"Flounder! Is it something bad? You have to at least give me a clue!" Ariel insisted, swimming closer to her best friend.

"Uh-uh" Flounder dipped his head down and looked left to right, trying to avoid the question.

"Please?" Ariel bit her lip and widened her eyes, knowing that was Flounder's weakness.

"Oh-okay." Flounder conceded. "I can't tell you, Ariel, but I can give you a hint. Okay?"

"Okay! Great! Go!" Ariel bounced and sat down on the bed behind her.

"You know how Aquata got married last month?" Flounder led, raising his eyebrows.

"…yeah, so?" Ariel still didn't understand.

"And how Andrina's been married for six months? Artista nine?"

"Yeah, so? Flounder, you're not making any sense!" Ariel said, a vague though nagging at the back of her mind, but she so hoped it wasn't true.

"Ariel – I can't tell you any more information! Your father will tell you the rest…"

"Flounder, please." Ariel said softly, rising up to look him in the eye.

"Your dad wants you to get married too." Flounder said, swimming back a little.

"What? Why? Why do I have to _now_? Just because I'm last!? That's not a good enough reason to force me into a permanent decision!" Ariel cried, tears of anger springing to her eyes.

"Ariel, please! He can't force you, right? You still have to say 'I do'. And if you don't want to marry whoever he picked out-"

"HE PICKED SOMEONE OUT?!" Ariel screamed.

"Oops." Flounder mumbled, looking downwards.

Ariel ran her wrist across her face to wipe away her tears, and then she gritted her teeth and swam off to find her father. "Daddy!" she cried angrily, spotting her father and speeding up.

"Ariel!" Triton said, a little too happily for the news he was about to spring. "Ariel, why don't you come down to dinner?"

"Daddy, we have to talk!" Ariel insisted, feeling tears build up again.

"At dinner, darling." Triton smiled. "I have news."

Ariel beat down her anger and joined her sisters around the table. Though newly married, they did not move to their husbands' houses, as it was propriety for the royalty to stay in the palace. So, instead, the husbands moved in. Ariel was used to a fuller table, as six sisters and six husbands made for a lack of elbow room, but she definitely noticed the extra space taken up.

"Who is this?" Ariel asked, trying not to be rude, but she was still terribly angry, because she knew the answer to the question already.

The boy she gestured to stood up and reached out his hand. "You don't remember me? I'm Urchin!"

Ariel gasped. Indeed, she could not have recognized him! She hadn't seen Urchin in years, after he had gone to the Pacific to go to the University. And he had certainly grown up since! He was a late bloomer, when Ariel knew him he was a year older than her, though he only appeared to be half her age! And in the two years he was gone, he had filled out, packing on muscle. He had cut his hair a bit shorter, and pushed it back. It was once blond, but after being so deep in the ocean for so long, the lack of sunlight had turned it to a soft brown.

"Sorry, you just look, so, so different!" Ariel was a bit flabbergasted, looking at the man that had become of her friend.

"Thanks?" Urchin said, pretending to be offended. But he laughed and swam over, pulling Ariel's chair out for her.

The meal passed with lively small talk, everyone was engaged except Urchin – he would not stop looking at Ariel!

"Artista, you're eating all the seaweed bread!" Andrina whined.

Artista flipped her hair. "I am not! You're just too slow! I'll happily share, if only you would politely ask-"

"Artista, can you please pass the seaweed bread?" Aquata asked politely.

Artista shoved another piece of seaweed bread in her mouth. "Absolutely not."

The table giggled, except for Andrina, who took the moment of relaxed defenses to lurch across the table and grab a piece of bread.

And Urchin would not stop looking at Ariel.

The second course was brought out, a delicious lasagna made of various corals, and the extended family all but lunged for it, filling their plates and digging in.

And Urchin would not stop looking at Ariel.

Aquata leaned against Nicolas, her husband, sighing and snuggling into his lean shoulder. He kissed her forehead, and King Triton send a well-placed zap from his trident, and the two separated like repelling magnets.

And Urchin would not stop looking at Ariel.

"I have to go." Ariel stood, feeling pressured to move, leave, to do something.

"I'll come with you." Urchin stood.

"No!" Ariel said, a little more sharply than she meant to. "No." she said, more kindly but still firmly.

Triton raised an eyebrow at Ariel, but did not otherwise berate her. Ariel swam away as quickly as she could, Flounder following suit.

As soon as Ariel reached her room, she sunk her head into her arms. "Oh Flounder," she wailed. "What am I supposed to do?" she stood up, wiping her eyes. "I can't break Urchins's heart – it's not fair! But I can't marry him, I don't love him! Why, I haven't even talked to him in years!

"Then why don't you start talking to him?"

Ariel sat up at the foreign voice. King Triton was swimming in her doorframe, looking stern.

"How did you find out?" he asked, referring to Ariel's knowledge of he arranged marriage.

Ariel ignored the question in the interest of protecting Flounder. "Why do you want me to marry him? Why do you want me to get married in the first place! I'm sixteen, not sixty. Let me find someone I love!"

"Ariel, it is my duty as both your father and the king to see you successfully married to an appropriate man. Now, because you are not the oldest, you will not be queen, so I'm only trying to find your best match, not the best king. You used to be such great friends with Urchin, what's wrong with him?"

"Nothing's wrong with him, I just don't love him! Why don't you understand that?" Ariel cried, pushing her father back.

"Ariel, don't make me force you on this matter!" Triton insisted, anger building in his voice.

"I'm not marrying him!" Ariel shouted, leaving no room for negotiation.

"Ariel, so help me, I will have you see reason! You need to learn some respect, and you will be marrying Urchin whether you like it or not!"

"No!" Ariel screamed back, uncrossing her arms and balling her fists at her side.

"One week!" Triton bellowed so loudly Ariel shrunk back without thinking. "You will be wed, so I suggest you get used to it!"

Ariel inhaled sharply and flung herself down on her bed, letting the tears come.

Triton cooled down for a moment, hovering in the doorway, and he immediately regretted the harsh words he had said. Yet, he would not take them back. Ariel needed to learn respect and obedience, and if that was the only way, so be it. Triton still felt in his heart that he was doing the right thing. Urchin was a good man, and he and grown up considerably in the few years he had been away. He had done well in school, and was both smart and mature enough to guide Ariel through the rest of her actions. It was not a secret that Ariel could be foolish. Often she did things without even considering the backlash that could come from them, and if she was given the option of choosing her husband, she would undoubtedly choose someone as foolish as herself, in the namesake of fun. But such a choice would be disastrous, and Triton would not see his youngest daughter go to ruin. She needed a protector.

So with the one-week deadline rapidly approaching, Triton swam off to make some wedding plans, not knowing that Ariel was making some very different plans of her own.


	3. Seeking

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"Ariel?"

There was a light tap on her door, and Ariel scowled and flipped over, looking at Urchin's frame in the door. She sighed. "Yes, Urchin?"

"Uh, sorry." He started off. "Sorry that everything got…sprung on you like that. I honestly thought you knew. Your father contacted me three months ago."

"Oh, _even better_." Ariel said sarcastically, resentment building towards her father.

"But, uh, I got you something." Urchin beamed.

"Urchin, this isn't a good time…" Ariel sighed, casting her eyes downward. She didn't want to be mad at Urchin, but the boy just could not take a hint.

"Please?" he asked, giving her such a smile that she conceded. He pulled a shell out from behind his back, opening it and revealing a necklace; a light pink shell hanging off a seaweed cord.

"It's lovely." Ariel smiled, melancholy but genuinely appreciative.

Urchin smiled at her. Not wanting to push her, and glad she was open enough to at least accept the gift, he squeezed her right shoulder and swam off.

"Ariel!" Flounder beamed and cried excitedly, swimming into her room, Ariel's red exploring bag looped around his portly body.

"Flounder!" Ariel beamed. "Where have you been? Right after dinner you must've left!"

"I found the wreck Ariel, the one the boy was on!" Flounder flipped with joy, letting the bag slide off his head.

"Oh Flounder, really!?" Ariel grabbed the bag off the floor, and upon opening it she found a small picture, painted, and of her prince! "Oh, it's wonderful…" she cooed, hugging it closer to her heart. She looked back at the doorframe, and stared at Flounder with adamant resolve. "I need to see him. Today. Tonight. Forever." Ariel insisted, swimming out the window, Flounder right behind her.

…

Margaret had docked earlier that day, and now she found her predicament most uncomfortable. She had almost two weeks to prepare conversation topics for her confrontation with Prince Eric, but yet she found herself face-to-face with the man…and her mind blank.

Thank the Lord that he was such a gentleman! Upon her arrival, despite her horrendous behavior only two weeks prior, he politely inquired to her well-being and purpose for travel, and as soon as she mentioned she wished to see him again, he offered her a guest room, and a port for her ship.

She was sitting now, staring at a violet wall, twisting her sheet around her pointer finger. It was a lovely room; the furniture was simple, yet beautiful. There were no windows, which was wonderful because Margaret's eyes were quite sensitive. Instead, there were several candles resting on a wooden bedside table, illuminating Margaret's apprehension.

"I'm going downstairs." She muttered to herself, trying to force herself into a resolve. She slid off the bed, grey muslin rippling around her ankles and she placed one clumsy foot in front of another.

"Ah, you're up. Travel must have been difficult on you." Eric gave her a half-smile, politely acknowledging her.

"Uh, yeah." Margaret giggled nervously, breaking eye contact as soon as possible.

Eric nodded uncomfortably. "Dinner is, erm, going to be served in an hour. If you're not too tired, please join."

Margaret looked to the side, racking her brain for a witty or clever comment.

"How long are you going to be staying?" Considering the usual rude connotation for this particular phrase, Eric was remarkably polite, but it was still evident that he would really prefer for Margaret to leave sooner than later.

Margaret shrugged. A week, a month…forever, if everything worked out.

Eric eagerly skated the conversation, striding across the open ballroom.

"What a remarkable young lady!" Grimsby hinted, "Coming across the whole ocean, just for you!"

"Then it's a mystery as to why she's been up in her room for the past four hours." Eric griped. "I'm so tired of princesses like her, Grimsby. I'm there for over a month, and she barely says two words to me. As soon as I leave, she takes it upon herself to sail across the ocean, in what most people would interpret as an action to meet me again. Yet, she arrives, and then isolates herself. Again. There's no clear pattern of thought!"

"She's shy, yet determined." Grimsby mused. "She obviously is interested, m'boy, why don't you go after her."

Prince Eric balked at the idea. "I don't know Grimsby…there's just, just nothing there."

"You can't wait for a love of lightning bolts and fairy dust, Eric." Grimsby scolded. "There's a girl here, right before your eyes…"

Grimsby pressed on to go oversee the beginning of dinner, and Eric stopped for a moment, turning to see the girl at the stop of the stairs. She paced, her simple dress clashing against her thighs as she waited, for what he didn't know.

But perhaps he should head up and find out.

…

"Ariel, are you sure about this?" Flounder asked, a bit frightened.

"Flounder, I have to." Ariel said, determined. She had left the picture of the Prince back in her room, resting on her pillow, though now she wished she hadn't. It would have been comforting to have him, even a resemblance of him, with her as she went on to make one of the most life-altering decisions she could ever make.

"Come in, come in my child!"

Ariel shuttered at the sea witch's voice, but gritted her teeth and pressed on. Instead of waiting for Ursula to coax her in, she started the conversation. "Ursula, I need a favor."

"Yes, my dear?" Ursula's fake sweetness, if anything, made her more terrifying. It did not make her seem welcoming, but rather raised one's suspicions, that she had something up her sleeve, more terrifying that you can imagine. The worst part was that, usually, that was true.

"I need you to turn me into a human."


	4. The Meeting

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"Margaret?" Eric asked, knocking on her door. Margaret had retreated a few minutes prior but, almost as if she was waiting for Eric to come to her, she tore open the door as soon as he knocked.

"Hi." She stated awkwardly, giving a thin-lipped smile.

"I was wondering if you, ah, wanted to go on a tour of my kingdom tomorrow." Eric asked politely, hoping getting Margaret outdoors would make her a bit livelier.

"Well, what if we just stayed indoors? I could perhaps look at the tapestries, I find them interesting." Margaret informed him.

"Well, if that's what you want…" Eric said, disinterested in tapestries himself, he was not even sure if his castle had any.

Margaret smiled and stood in the doorway, waiting for Eric to continue the conversation.

"Um, that's a lovely dress." Eric mentioned, trying to get Margaret to open up. He just didn't know what to say!

Margaret's dress was not lovely. It was itchy, thick, steel gray, poorly cut, tight in the bodice and loose on her hips. It's bunched and scrunched and made her look too fat and too short. It covered up any redeeming figure qualities she had, of which there were few, and amplified her twiggy arms and puffed stomach. It was many things, but lovely was not one of them.

Margaret smiled, not saying a word.

"Goodnight?" Eric asked, though it was only six in the afternoon, it was clear that Margaret had no intention of coming downstairs.

"Goodnight." Margaret smiled softly and closed the door. Eric, more perplexed than ever, turned and left.

"He loves me!" Margaret cried, spinning and falling backwards onto her bed. "He really, truly loves me!" she rolled halfway onto her hip, staring at a fine painting of a stern king. "Doesn't he?"

The king, being a painting, did not respond.

"I know…" she sighed, rolling again onto her back and resting both hands over her heart, sighing to herself. "He loves me…"

…

"Well I have a price darling, you know that." Ursula took Ariel's request without so much as batting an eye, as if mermen and mermaids swam into her lair everyday asking to be humans.

"I don't have much money." Ariel explained.

Ursula slunk over and picked up Ariel's shell necklace. "How about you give me this necklace? I hear a very special boy gave it to you!" she chortled to herself.

"Done." Ariel said, grabbing the pendant and tugging, breaking the clasp, and depositing it into Ursula's clutches.

Ariel was, of course, elated that she could get her dearest wish for what seemed such a little contribution of her own. However, no one could ever see Ursula's whole plan from the beginning, which is what made her so successful. Ariel could have easier signed away her soul; all it would have saved was time. However, like every other poor, unfortunate soul, Ariel did not head to the Sea Witch with emotions in check, she was angry with her father, her situation. She was upset that she had to break the heart of her former best friend. But most of all, she was hopeful. Hopeful that she could get her prince, that she could be the exception to Ursula's rule. That she could get her happy ending.

A potion was brewed, and Ariel drank it down eagerly, not even pausing to consider what she was doing. She felt waves of hear ripple through her legs, pulsating, and she gasped, clutching her hips as her gills closed. Time seemed to slow, and she whipped her head back and forth, trying to find a way to make it to the surface. Flounder swept it, grabbing Ariel's hand and guiding her up and out of the sea.

She broke surface, gasping for air. She swept her hair to the side and tried to kick, but neither leg was synchronized with the other. So, exhausted but empowered, she held onto Flounder and let him pull her onto shore.

Sitting in a tide pool, she looked up to see a sail hanging on a line. She pulled it down and wrapped it around herself, ready to go and find her prince. Testing her feet, she wobbled several times before finally collapsing in the sand.

"Shoot." She mumbled, blowing her bangs out of her face and trying to steady herself again. One successful step…two…three! "Flounder, I've got it!" Ariel cried, just as she slipped and fell to the ground again. "Ooh…never mind."

"Try again; you've got to get it!" Flounder insisted.

"You're right." Ariel nodded, using her arms to push herself upright again. She walked, slowly at first, but within just a few moments, she was able to do so with ease.

"Now you've just got to go find your prince!" Flounder smiled.

"Thank you so much Flounder, you're the best." Ariel bent down and kissed his forehead.

Ariel began walking down the shoreline, and Flounder swam into deeper waters, where he was more comfortable. Still, he assured her that he would remain close for her journey, just in case she needed him. Ariel got her confidence up, being able to walk rather quickly now, until –oops!- she slipped again, crashing into the sand.

"Ow…" she mumbled, rotating her ankle. What had she done?

…

Eric stepped out onto the beach. He needed to clear his head, and the ocean was relaxing enough to allow him to do so. Rubbing the back of his neck, he strolled across the sand, and looked out into the ocean, watching the waves lap at the beach.

He still didn't understand Princess Margaret – what was she here to accomplish? You would think that after he invited her back and tried to welcome her, that she would be a bit more open and warm. Was he doing something wrong? Maybe he wasn't kind enough, perhaps she was just ridiculously shy.

She obviously liked him – she sailed across the ocean just to see him again! That kind of determination was reflective of some sort of love. And what if she was the one, what if he was letting her go? He stood, firm in his footing, ready to turn back and try harder, when he heard a voice cry out.

"Hello?"

"He looked down the beach, and saw a girl sitting, wrapped in some sort of rag, vibrant red hair spilling over her shoulders. She held her ankle and winced in pain.

He sprinted down the beach and sunk down beside her. "Are you okay?" he asked, gingerly reaching out and touching her ankle.

She took in her breath quickly, but still smiled up at him. "I did something to my…foot." She said, biting her lip, as if she forgot the word.

He gently reached down and rolled her ankle to the side, watching her face for indicators of pain. Between that judgment and how her ankle was able to move, he made his deduction. "I think you just pulled a muscle, I don't think it's broken."

"Oh, good!" she exclaimed, sitting up a little straighter.

Eric smiled at her, "Where is your family?" he asked, taking in the fact that she was not properly dressed in the slightest manner. "…Are you shipwrecked?"

"Yes." Ariel lied, not being able to tell him that she was a mermaid. "I don't know where my family is."

"Oh Gosh, sorry." Eric said, furrowing his brow. "Here," he said, helping Ariel to her feet. "let me help you. Would you like to stay with me?"

"Of course, thank you!" Ariel beamed, leaning on Eric's shoulder and hobbling over to the palace with him. "I'm Ariel, by the way."

"Ariel." Eric said, letting her voice vibrate on his lips. "That's…that's kinda pretty."

"What's your name?" Ariel retorted, hopping up onto the balls of her feet.

"Eric-" Eric paused for a moment, wondering if he should mention that he was a prince. It isn't lying if you just don't tell the whole truth, right? Of course, it may be hard to hide your royal title when you're bringing someone to your castle. "And this is, uh, my castle."

"This is where you live?" Ariel said excitedly, hopping up the steps, ignoring the pain in her ankle. "It's beautiful!" she cooed, looking up at the arching ceilings.

"Well, I'll let Carlotta help you get cleaned up, and then I'll show you around, would you like that?" Eric asked.

"I'd love to!" Ariel exclaimed, walking slowing across the ballroom floor.

Eric smiled. This girl had spent five minutes in the castle and already she was treating it like home.


	5. Urchin's Arrival

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"This is fantastic!" Ariel beamed, picking up a plate and placing it on her head. "Oh, and cold."

Eric laughed. "That's because it's a plate."

"Plate." Ariel repeated as she picked up her lavender skirt, scurrying to the next room. "What's this a picture of?" she asked, pointing to a small painting resting on a fireplace mantle.

"That would be a horse. His name is Beau." Eric smiled.

"Where is he?" Ariel asked, peering into the fireplace, in case he was resting in there.

"Outside" Eric laughed. "Would you like to go see him?"

"Would I!" Ariel exclaimed, beaming and clapping her hands together.

Eric led her out of the palace, down to the dusty stables, sunlight streaming in through cracks in the paneling. "This is Beau!" he announced, petting the nose of an auburn horse.

Ariel reached out fearlessly, stroking the foreign animal and please when he leaned down to put her nose in his hand. "Oh, he's tickling me!" she giggled, hugging the animal's nose.

"He likes you." Eric reached out and petted his horse. "He's tired right now – we went riding yesterday and he's rather old – but someday, would you like to go riding?"

"Yes, that sounds amazing!" Ariel said, looking back at Eric to smile.

"Anywhere else you'd like to see?" Eric asked.

"Everywhere!" Ariel exclaimed, throwing her arms up into the air.

Eric laughed and took the girl's arm, leading her out of the stables and back up to the palace.

…

"Beautiful find, boys!" Ursula beamed as she held the picture of Prince Eric in her clutches, praising her eels for their sneaky discovery. "What an interesting development – our princess is not in love with the man daddy picked out – surprise, surprise – but rather a human! Oh, this is even easier than I expected!"

She pushed herself off her perch and began rummaging through cupboards, throwing vial after container into the basin resting below.

Ursula twirled the necklace around her finger, chortling to herself. "You see," she said, addressing her two slithering eel pets. "this necklace is a symbol – a symbol of Urchin's love. And after resting on the mermaid princess's neck for a while, it also contains her energy. Through this necklace, if I use it properly – who am I kidding, of course I will, I can manipulate her actions and his love for one moment, but one moment only, because after I drop it in this potion" Ursula looked down at the basin in front of her, bubbling up with a sickly pink liquid. "the necklace will be liquidated. Metaphorical, if I do say so myself."

The eels snickered, just as pleased with the situation as their master.

"Now, I need you to fetch a certain _Urchin_ – dirty blond hair, green tail." Ursula said, pursing her teeth and bringing her light ball up, showing the eels an image of the man. "Convey a sense of urgency, if you will, I don't have all day to sit about here – I've been doing that for eighteen years, and it's time I get a move on while I still can!"

The eels nodded and swam off, scanning the water for their target. In just a few moments, a shorter time than they expected, they found him circling the palace, as if he was looking for something – or someone.

"Ariel?" Urchin called. Mumbling to himself he asked "Where are you…?"

"_She's not coming back_." The eels hissed in unison.

"What?" Urchin looked up. "What are you talking about."

"_We were quite clear. Ariel is no longer in the ocean, but, alas, it is not too late_." The eels continued, pressing their yellow eyes together in order to give Ursula a picture of the situation.

"Is something wrong? What did you do to her?" Urchin said, anger building up.

"_We cannot explain. But we know someone who can_." The eels said tauntingly, looking off to the side.

"Who?" Urchin pressed, swimming closer. "Please, tell me!"

"_Ursula has great powers, and she knows all_."

"The Sea Witch? Did she do something? I'll kill her!" Urchin said angrily, boxing the eels into a corner. "Where is she? Take me to her!"

"_Calm, patience, my boy."_ Flotsam said eerily. "_What would Ursula need with a simple mermaid? Rather, there are bigger fish, rather, __**non-fish**__, who are the problem. But Ursula, ah, __**she**__ can help you."_

"Take me to her." Urchin said, his voice calm but his mind reeling.

"_Of course, of course. Why else would we have come?"_ The eels snickered and turned, leading Urchin down a very dangerous road.

The trio arrived in minutes, Urchin poking his head into the cavern cautiously, in case it was a trap.

"Come in, darling! Please, time is a-wasting!" Ursula said, starting her performance.

"What happened to Ariel?" Urchin asked, leaning forward.

"Kidnapped! By one of those humans – the barbarians!" Ursula flung a portly arm over her eyes, feigning distress.

"What! No! By who?" Urchin demanded, gripping the vile basin and leaning in.

"Prince… Eric." Ursula said, choking back a fake sob and holding out the miniature portrait.

"He's the human?" Urchin said.

"Yes, would I lie to you?" Ursula said, but continued before he could answer. "I am sure of it – triple checked my facts! Oh, if only there was something I could do…"

"I need to rescue her." Urchin stated, leaning forward even more.

"I'll tell you what." Ursula said coyly. "I will turn you into a human for three days – only three days. That's all my power has to give. With that time frame, you need to get Ariel, the love of your life, to kiss you. If she does so, then you will both return as mermaids. Now, I can't imagine anything simpler than that."

"Thank you! Thank you! But – I cannot repay you." Urchin said. "I don't have much money."

"Oh dear, just you and Ariel being together is more than enough repayment for me!" Ursula said, in a shallow, translucent voice. "However, you must bring me back a souvenir from the surface – perhaps something of Ariel's? What of the hairbrushes she so loves? When you two are ruling, she'll have plenty, after all."

"Of course, of course." Urchin mumbled. "But please, I do not wish to waste time!"

"Understandable, my dear, love is rarely patient!" Ursula chortled, bringing a bottle to the merman. "Drink up!" she cried, as Urchin downed the bottle and began to writhe, his tail splitting in two and he sailed for the surface.


	6. Pushing Boundries

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Eric's face rebounded in Urchin's mind with such a consistency that only Ariel could understand. He pulled himself up onto the beach and looked for a way to cover himself, happy to find a pair of pants hanging on the line. He looked up at the castle, concluding easily that this was the only possible residence of a prince. Staring up, he saw the swish of red hair passing by a window, as a petite girl passed, followed by the notorious man.

Furious, Urchin headed for the castle. But, he paused. What was he supposed to say? That he was a former mermaid, returning for the kidnapped princess, his true love? He would never be allowed in! He swerved his head to the right, and saw a young woman, empty basket on hip, tottering down the shoreline. Thinking quickly, Urchin collapsed into the tide and waited to be found.

"Oh, my Lord!"

He heard the voice pierce the air, and smiled a bit to himself at the clash of her feet running on sand.

"Sir, sir?" she said, tapping his shoulder.

Dramatically, Urchin gasped for air and sat up.

"Oh, thank the Lord!" she cried, clasping his hand. "Can you stand?"

Urchin pushed himself up onto his feet and smiled. "Thank you for finding me, I don't know where I am!"

"Prince Eric's castle, I'm Cassandra, by the way." The brunette smiled. "Here, dear, you must have been shipwrecked, let's get you inside and into some proper clothes!"

"You are an angel, my dear!" Urchin gushed, strolling up to the castle. "And, if he's not too busy, could I perhaps meet the prince?"

…

Margaret strolled up to an open window, staring at the afternoon tides lapping in and out. Wasn't Eric supposed to come for her by now? They were going to look at tapestries. Suddenly, she heard a peal of laughter from behind her, and she snapped her head around. Standing next to Eric, hand on his shoulder, smiling up at him as widely as he smiled down at her, was a redheaded young girl, one whom she had never seen before.

"Eric?" Margaret called.

Eric broke away from Ariel's gaze and his face fell as he made eye contact with Margaret. "Ah, hello Margaret." He said. "Are you having a nice day?"

"We were supposed to go look at your tapestries." Margaret said her voice accusatory, albeit quiet.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I completely forgot." Eric said, apologizing, but not offering to take her again.

"It's fine." Margaret said softly, swiveling her head back to look out the window.

"You're always welcome to join us for dinner, though." Eric said over his shoulder, as Ariel pulled him into the library in order to look at the hundreds of books.

Margaret began to feel a bit angry with herself, as her shyness was keeping her away from the man of her dreams! The perfect king for her country. She had to be a bit more outgoing, like the lively girl he had…well she didn't really know where he got her from, but she had certainly captured his attention, to say the least.

Margaret stood up and plodded over to the library, softly, like a princess should, but more determined than she had been in a while.

"Wow, I've never seen so many books in my entire life!" The girl exclaimed, picking a thick one off the shelf and hugging it to her stomach.

"You can borrow them whenever you want." Eric promised smiling at her.

"Great!" she exclaimed, leaping up to pick another one off a higher shelf.

"Eric, would you like to go on a walk with me?" Margaret asked, placing her hands behind her back and leaning forward, turning her left side out, as a way of implying that she'd like to go right now.

"I'm a little busy at the moment, Margaret." Eric said kindly, again, not offering to attend to her at a later date.

"Would you mind?" she asked the redheaded girl, tilting her head. "Oh, and what is your name?"

"I'm Ariel." She smiled, and the prince sighed just at the sound of her name.

"Ah, well, Ariel, would you mind if I borrowed my suitor for a moment?" Madeline said.

"Suitor?" Ariel questioned, her stomach dropping a little.

"It means 'boyfriend'" Margaret said deviously.

"I'm not her suitor." Eric said, looking to reassure Ariel, he spoke to her, but glared at Margaret.

"Then why did you come to my castle?" Margaret said with faux sweetness and misunderstanding.

Eric stood for a moment, trying to remember his manners and keep his temper, as Margaret did not deserve to be screamed at. No girl did. But she was instigating for the sole purpose of hurting Ariel, and Eric could see it in the redhead's eyes. She looked up at him, pining for an answer.

So Eric took a deep breath and told her the truth. Speaking only to Ariel he said, "Part of being a prince is that I'm supposed to find a wife to marry. Every six months or so, I'll either sail over to a nearby country, or a princess will come here. I did have to go to her castle, but I don't love her."

Ariel paused for a moment, and then smiled, taking his hand. Eric rubbed his thumb in little circles on her palm, and the two stood there, enjoying the moment.

Margaret huffed a little and stormed off, too upset to be around people anymore. Yet, she was still determined to not give up. Never had she been surer of anything in her life – Eric was the man for her! She needed to get the young lady out of the castle – but how? No, it was ridiculous! If Ariel went missing, then Eric would spend too much time looking for her, and not enough time focusing on finding a new bride.

She needed to keep Ariel here, but she needed a way to make the girl less desirable; a way to make herself look better in comparison. Huffing, she plopped down on her cushioned bed and looked at the bland wall, wondering why on earth something as simple as love had to become so complex.

…

Urchin was dressed up like a proper gentleman, and he took a few moments to admire the new clothes in the mirror. "They're so strange…" he mumbled to himself, twisting around to get a full view.

The maid, Cassandra, knocked on the door, paused, and then entered. "Are you ready?" she asked. She smiled a little and clasped her hands behind her back, leaning forward. "You look very handsome." She said gently.

Urchin beamed back at her, and then gazed behind her, in hopes that Ariel might be passing by. "Thank you!" he said, bringing himself back to the conversation as he noticed that Ariel was not there.

"Well, I was wondering if you'd like me to show you the castle, as you may be our guest for a while." Cassandra said. "That is, until we find your family, I guess."

"I don't think I shall be overstaying my welcome." Urchin assured her, remembering his three day spell. Why, the first day was almost over! The sun was dipping beneath the tides, and Urchin had only two more sunsets to watch – or else Ariel may be kidnapped forever, forced into legs and held against her will! The terror of the idea!

"Oh, no! That's not what I meant at all. Please, stay as long as you can!" Cassandra assured him, walking over and brushing lint off his shoulders. "But," she reiterated, resting a slight hand on his left shoulder. "would you care to see the castle? It's quite large and, in my opinion, fascinating."

Urchin looked over her head again, scanning for Ariel. He hadn't seen her yet today! While he knew it was in both his and her best interest to start searching, he couldn't seem to find it within himself to say no to the young maiden. Besides, a tour of the castle was a kind of searching, right? An escorted search!

"I'd love to." Urchin agreed, offering Cassandra his arm as she pulled him out into the hallway and to the left, barely missing Ariel and Eric as they strolled up the stairs, both anxious to get away from Margaret and spend more time together.

…

"What is it, Eric?" Ariel smiled, hugging his left arm. "You said you had a surprise!"

"I do, I do!" he promised, laughing and intertwining his fingers with hers. "We're almost there, I promise."

On that note, Eric pushed open the door to the room and revealed an expansive art studio. Paints and pencils, each in every shade of every color imaginable, lined the walls, spiraling down to a work area, several chairs and easels set up to face the water, providing an excellent source of inspiration for any attempting artist.

"It's…beautiful…" Ariel said softly, circling around and feeling the sensations of the paintbrushes and the smooth craft of the pencils against her fingertips. "Do I get to use it?"

"Well I certainly didn't bring you here just to show it to you!" Eric smiled.

"This is fantastic!" Ariel beamed, grabbing pencils out of their holders and gathering them in a fold of her skirt. She knew just what to draw as well.

Sitting down, and pleased that Eric had also selected pencils and sat down next to her, Ariel began to sketch the gentle curves of the undertow, how it pulled on seaweed and silt, the fish that so cautiously avoided it, greeting each other with smiles and discussion. The sun wove through the seas, illuminating the friendship that was shown. Sitting in the middle of all this, Ariel drew herself, giggling with Flounder. She herself was perched on a rock, wearing her signature purple seashell bra, her hair twisting and knotting as it was pulled to the right by the tide.

"You drew a mermaid. She looks an awful lot like you." Eric beamed, leaning over and beaming at Ariel.

"Yeah, a little bit." Ariel smiled coyly, raising an eyebrow and leaning over.

The sun gave a final glow before it set, illuminating the room with a soft orange glow that was sure to last only a few minutes.

"What'd you draw?" Ariel asked, turning the question on Eric and leaning over.

"Hey, no!" Eric said, blushing a little and trying to cover the paper with his hands.

"Nope – you saw my picture, I get to see what you drew!" Ariel insisted, smiling and moving Eric's hands. An easy task, for he offered no resistance, merely removing his palms and dipping his head down a little bit, still looking at Ariel.

"Why, that's me!" Ariel exclaimed, smiling a little.

In fact, it was. Eric had sketched Ariel sitting at her own easel, a look of fierce determination on her face, yet she was still smiling, clearly enjoying herself. Color spread throughout her hair and down to her toes, though Eric had not had time to color the rest of the picture, it seemed fitting, for even in real life, Ariel was the brightest thing in the room.

"I love it." Ariel said softly, filling the comfortable silence with a few unnecessary words; they were known before she even said it.

The orange glow waning, Eric leaned over closer to Ariel, who was already half-perched on his chair. Closing her eyes, Ariel leaned in and-

"Eric, there you are! Oh…" Carlotta flushed dangerously as both Ariel and Eric sat up straight, faces flushing as bright as Ariel's hair.

"Well, it's time, uh, for, erm, dinner." Carlotta nodded and ducked out, twining her hands in her apron.

"Here," Eric sighed, standing and stretching his back. Reaching out a hand, he continued. "We should probably head down." He sighed.

Ariel nodded sadly, but took his hand and the two walked quietly downstairs.


	7. The End of the First Day

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"Oh, this is the young girl's room." Cassandra announced to Urchin, just to assuage any possible curiosities, as they passed by Ariel's room.

"Who else is staying here?" he asked, looking down at her.

"Well, she had a fate not too different from your own! Her name is Ariel, and she was shipwrecked a few days ago. The prince has taken quite a shine to her, if you'd care to keep it to yourself, he's showing her all around the castle and-"

"This is where he's keeping her?" Urchin stopped and peered into the room. Why, it didn't look like the type of prison used to hold a victim. There was a lovely terrace and open windows that let in fresh air. It was nicely furnished, and an open wardrobe revealed that she had lots of dresses to choose from. Humans must have a strange was of keeping people captive.

"Keeping her?" Cassandra laughed. "You phrase it like he's kidnapped her! No, she was washed up, I think it was two days ago? She did something to her ankle, but she's much better now. Oh, it's so exciting Urchin, the way they talk to each other and look at each other, she's the one for him, I know it."

"They're in love?" Urchin said.

"Undoubtedly."

Urchin walked into Ariel's room, anticipating the painful blow of heartbreak. He had never had his heart broken before, but having such a fragile organ played with could never be good. However, much to his surprise, he didn't feel anything like how he had imagined. Why, instead, he was happy for her. If she was loved, then he was happy. He tried to pause, let it sink in. He had had an arranged marriage with this girl for almost a year, yet he felt no sadness as to letting it go.

"Urchin, are you okay?"

He looked back at Cassandra, and smiled at her. "I'm just fine." He said truthfully. "Shall we continue the tour?" On his way out of the room, he remembered his promise to the Sea Witch, and snagged Ariel's hairbrush, which was conveniently resting on a table by the door, little red hairs twined in it.

"Of course!" Cassandra smiled up at him. "Where would you like to go next?"

"Actually," Urchin looked down at the hairbrush in his hand. "May I go out to the beach. Alone, just for a moment."

"Oh, um, okay."

…

Margaret huffed and sat down on the sand. Unable to think of a remedy to her problem, she had hoped a stroll on the beach would help to get ideas flowing. It had been but a few minutes, but Margaret was already frustrated with the lack of ideas.

"_Over…here…"_

Margaret whipped her head around and pursed her lips. Scanning the beach, she noticed that no one was there. "Is someone out here?" she called delicately.

"_By the shore…"_

Margaret turned and gasped at what would be the first of many astounding sights to come. Grinning at her, with one eye yellow and the other white, swam two eels, who appeared to actually be talking to her! Imagine such an impossible thing as_ talking eels_!

"Do you, uh, want something?" Margaret walked closed and sunk down to the shoreline, looking at them. What was she supposed to say? No matter how many years of society instruction one may go through, there was never a single lesson on how to communicate with talking eels.

At the slam of a door, the eels jumped up, startled. Hopping down the stairs was a brown-haired man, who Margaret had never seen before. He carried a hairbrush in his hand, another odd item, but as Margaret was sitting on a beach talking to eels, she was really in no position to judge what this man was doing. Still, it was rather peculiar that he whipped it out into the sea and shouted "HERE!". He seemed irate.

"_Excuse me"_ one of the eels mumbled and swam off towards it.

Margaret, still incredibly confused, looked at the remaining eel and pressed. "Well? What do you want?"

"_We understand you have a bit of a problem with a certain redhead."_ The eel said deviously.

"What? How do you…" Margaret scrunched her forehead.

"_Sweetheart, we are not someone to fear. We are only here to help. Now, answer me. Yes, or no?" _the eel raised an eyebrow and slithered closer.

"Well, yes." Margaret admitted, gulping. "But what can you do about it?"

"_We can fix all your problems darling, and for a very reasonable price."_ The eel insisted.

"No. No." Margaret shook her head, but paused. "…but, just so I know what I'm saying no to, what's could you do?"

"_We could take away her voice, and thus, her personality. She'd be nothing greater than a shell of a person, unfit to marry, unfit to befriend. She'd have virtually no worth."_ The eel smiled cruelly, warping its body once again and staring back at Margaret.

Margaret paused for a moment, partially regretting asking, for the offer was too tantalizing, but at the same time, she was glad that she did. Smiling back at the eel, she then asked "But what is your price?"

…

"Jetsam! My poopsie." Ursula smiled, reaching out her jiggling arms to welcome her minion.

"_Mistress, we have been successful_." The eel promised, reaching out the hairbrush.

"Perfect! Oh, I knew you would be." Ursula beamed, empting different vials into her basin. "You must be wondering how this can even possibly help me. But you see, all Urchin is was an integral part of my plan. He, however still has more to do, he just doesn't know it yet. With this hair, I have control over Ariel." Ursula liquidated the brush in the potion. Grabbing a glass vial from a cupboard, she dipped it in and corked it. "This will take away her voice. Give it to Margaret, but make sure she knows my conditions."

"_That Eric must be within sight when it happens?"_ Jetsam confirmed.

"Well, how else would this be successful?" Ursula smiled, handing the vial to Jetsam.

Jetsam bowed and swam up to the surface once more.

…

"_My price is quite low."_ The eel finally spoke with his friend joined him again at the shore.

"_This potion,"_ Jetsam began. _"will take away Ariel's voice. Your end of the bargain in simple. Watch Urchin, the man you just saw on the beach, and Ariel. The next time you see them alone together, make sure Eric sees. Do not let him call out, but make sure he sees."_

"Are they…doing something?" Margaret said, puzzled.

"_No, my dear! My dear! You think falsely! It's all part of a surprise – you must not breathe a word!"_

Margaret was not a dim woman; she knew the eels weren't telling the truth. There had to be something bigger going on. However, with such a wonderful offer presented to her; the chance to take down Ariel, her only competition, could you really be in a position to say no?

"It's a deal." Margaret agreed, taking the potion from the eel.

"Perfect. Give it to Ariel before midnight tonight." The eel commanded.

Margaret, looking at the full moon, nodded, understanding she had to move quickly. Thanking the eels quietly, she snuck back inside. The large clock in the hall showed that it was nearly eleven 'o clock, and she snuck up to Ariel's room. A water glass rested on the table next to her, and Margaret dumped the potion into it, going back to her own room.


	8. The Second Day

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Ariel woke up coughing. She cleared her throat and went to sit up, grabbing her forehead. She felt kind of dizzy. Maybe she should find something to drink. "Oh!" she exclaimed, shielding her eyes from the sunlight that came streaming through her window. She walked out to the balcony and looked at the ebbing sea below her. Singing softly, she ran her fingers through her hair and admired the view below her.

She wanted to go find Eric. Maybe they could go sailing today? It was too beautiful of a day to spend indoors! She couched again and walked back into her room. Reaching for the glass on her side table, she gulped it down.

"Ariel?" Eric knocked on her doorframe, peering in.

Ariel smiled and tried to exclaim 'Eric!', but no sound came out. Grabbing her throat, she tried again, but received identical results.

"Ariel?" Eric said with concern. "Ariel, what's wrong?"

Ariel tapped her throat and frowned.

"You can't speak?" Eric said, sitting down next to her.

Ariel shook her head and looked down, letting her bangs fall into her eyes.

"What went wrong?" Eric said.

Ariel shrugged.

"I'll fetch a doctor." Eric nodded, and squeezed her hand. "Stay here."

Ariel nodded, not knowing what else to do. Learning back, she rolled her eyes up to the ceiling and waited.

"Ariel!" she heard a man exclaim, though it definitely wasn't Eric.

Jutting up, she silently gasped. Urchin was standing in her doorway! Her fiancé – with legs! She shook her head, partially in disbelief, but mostly because she knew it was true. Why else would he be here, if not to come for her! She couldn't go back to the sea, not that she know had Eric – not when she was so close!

"Ariel, I've finally found you!" Urchin smiled, rushing over to her bed and sitting next to her.

Ariel pushed him away and shook her head again.

"What's wrong?" Urchin asked. "Are you ignoring me?"

Ariel sighed and shook her head.

"Then what's wrong?"

Ariel tapped her throat.

"You lost your voice?"

Nod.

"Oh." Urchin pursed his lips. "We'll then I guess you can't do a lot of explaining to me. Aw, Poseidon, let's try anyway. Question one, how did you get here?"

Ariel looked at him. _Are you kidding me?_

"Right, that was probably a little too complex. I'll only ask yes or no questions only from now on. Did the Sea Witch help you?"

Ariel nodded, sinking back into her pillows.

"So the Prince didn't kidnap you?"

Ariel shook her head fiercely, slashing her arms to very clearly communicate that she was in no way here against her will.

_The Sea Witch lied to me…_ Urchin thought, but he continued his questions. "Do you love him?" he asked tentatively.

Ariel paused for a moment. It was the simplest question he could have asked, of course she loved Eric. He was sweet and romantic and adventurous all in one, and he did so seem to love her. But was it right of her to say this to Urchin? He was planning on marrying her, and she did just run off…

Still, feeling that lying would be worse, she bit her lip and-

"Ariel, the doctor is going to be here in a couple-" Eric walked into her room and stopped dead in his tracks. "Erm, hello?" he said to the stranger.

"Oh, sorry, I'm Urchin." Urchin said, reaching out his hand to Eric. Bitterly, Eric took his hand and shook it a little bit harder than he needed to.

"What are you doing here?" Eric asked, crossing his arms and glaring at Urchin.

"I was shipwrecked yesterday. I'm an old friend of Ariel's." Urchin explained.

"Okay, I wasn't notified that you were here."

"My apologies, _sir_." Urchin said, a bit sarcastically.

The doctor took this opportune moment to walk through the door. "Hello, everyone!" he smiled, annihilating the tension.

"We should go." Eric directed at Urchin, and he himself turned and walked out of the room.

"Kind of a pip, isn't he?" Urchin winked at Ariel and, sticking his hands in his pockets, he walked out behind him.

…

Margaret watched feverishly for that opportune moment when Urchin and Ariel would be alone together, but it seemed as if she hadn't even come out of her room! She didn't even know if the potion had worked. Looking down the hall, she saw the prince walking towards her and exclaimed loudly "Eric!"

"Yes, Margaret?" Eric responded.

"Have you, um, seen Ariel?" Margaret tried to be nonchalant, and ultimately failed. "You two seem like you're kind of friends, and I wanted to get to know her so I figured that you would, uh, know where she, um, is, uh."

"She's sick, we don't know with what yet." Eric said absentmindedly, running a hand through his hair and leaning on a nearby wall. "Do you know of that man, Urchin, that's been running around here?"

"Nope!" Margaret squeaked, lying.

"Right." Eric said darkly, walking past Margaret.

As soon as Eric was out of sight, Margaret gave a little jump of joy. It worked! The potion actually worked! Who would have thought that a liquid given to you by eels would actually have worked?

"Now she's useless." Margaret smiled. Walking up to a banister, she slid her hands over it and looked out onto the ballroom that would soon be hers.

…

"Prince Eric?" the doctor called out, stepping outside the room.

Eric had walked back, and was slumped against an adjacent wall, waiting for the verdict. It had been a long time, almost an hour, and that was rarely a good sign.

"Yes, yes?" he said anxiously. "What is it?"

"Well, it seems her vocal cords are gone."

"…What?" Eric must have heard him wrong! There's no way that one day a girl can have vocal cords and the next day have none! Not overnight, not without extreme intervention!

"I don't understand it either, sire." The doctor shrugged. "She seems to be otherwise fine, and I see no reason to give her medicine or bed rest, because, as I'm sure you know, the body cannot simply grow back vocal cords."

"I know, but it shouldn't be able to just have them disappear either!" Eric protested.

"I understand you're upset, but don't yell, sire. There's nothing I can do. There's nothing anyone can do."

Eric nodded, apologizing. He walked indoors, and leaned on the foot on her bed. "Is there anything you want to do? Maybe go for a walk?"

Ariel smiled a little bit at him and then leaped out of bed. Grabbing his arms she spun him around and sunk back into a loose waltz.

"You want to go dancing?" Eric smiled down at her.

Ariel beamed and nodded excitedly.

"Do you want a ball?"

Ariel cocked her head to the side. What was a ball?

"Lot of people dancing." Eric smiled, noticing her confusion. "Everyone dresses up, there's food, usually a theme."

Ariel jumped up and down and hugged Eric, beaming up at him.

Eric laughed. "Okay, I'll take that as a yes." Smiling, he asked. "What theme do you want?"

Ariel wiggled her arms like waves and made a fish face.

"Uh, I didn't quite catch that." Eric chortled to himself.

Ariel gave him a sarcastic look, but grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hallway. Pushing open heavy doors, she revealed the art room. Her painting had been put on the wall and she pointed to it, tapping the different elements; the fish, the waves.

"Ocean themed?" Eric confirmed.

Ariel nodded and hugged Eric's waist with one arm.

"Of course." Eric smiled, looked down and kissing the top of her head.

With that, the pair went off to find Grimsby and to organize the party.

…

Urchin had taken a nap, in order to adjust for his askew sleep schedule, and woke up around five in the afternoon. She sat up and stretched, jumping back when he saw someone was in his room.

"Sorry, sorry!" Cassandra apologized profusely. "I didn't mean to keep you up, I mean, I feel bad enough that I kept you up all night showing you the castle, but Carlotta said I had to tidy up all the guest rooms, and, uh, I said you were still sleeping, but she said I had to and that you would be fine and oh, I'm so sorry, just go back to sleep-"

Urchin laughed and got up again, putting on his jacket. 'I'm fine, I got _plenty_ of sleep." A bit shyly, he continued. "In fact, I was hoping to see you again. Is there anything else you'd like to do? Go to the beaches perhaps?"

Cassandra brightened up. "Well, you were my last room, and then I was off for the rest of the day!" Looking around, she smiled at the disarray and continued. "And I'd say this is pretty clean!"

"Spotless!" Urchin agreed, kicking some of the mess under his bed. "What do you want to do first?"

"Here, let me change really quickly!" Cassandra took his hand and pulled him outside. "We can go into town!"

Cassandra wasn't exaggerating, almost as soon as she ran into the servant's quarters, she ran back out, spinning to show Urchin how long her hair was, and how flowing her purple dress was.

"You look lovely." Urchin smiled, taking her hand.

The two had a lovely afternoon. They saw impromptu plays that took place intermittently throughout the town. A travelling puppet show had set up camp on the outskirts, and the only person in the kingdom that was more entertained than Cassandra was Urchin, who had never seen anything like it! They tried all sorts of new foods and then slightly upset their stomachs by spinning around and dancing.

And, not even once, did Urchin think about Ariel.


	9. Ball Preparations

**Review C: Hey, can you guys spot the shoutout to one of my earlier stories? Guess the right story/what the shoutout is and I'll either promo your story or promo you on tumblr**

"So what do you want to do?" Eric stood in the ballroom, spreading his arms out. "You can do whatever you want; it's your party."

Ariel smiled and stood for a moment, rotating around and soaking everything in. Jumping a little, she sat on the floor and pulled a piece of stocky paper to her knees. Grabbing a box of selected colored pencils, she began to sketch. There would be seaweed and sea flowers lining the banisters. The table would be full of flowers and shells, and there would be lots of food. Not seafood, for obvious reasons, but _lots_ of food. She added some people dancing and showed it to Eric.

"Got it." He smiled. "I'll give this to Carlotta, and be back in just a minute! What do you want to do today?"

Ariel thought for another moment and then pointed out the window.

"Go outside?"

Ariel grabbed another piece of paper and drew a quick beach.

"Of course." Eric smiled and stooped down to kiss her head. Blushing slightly, he turned and went to find Carlotta.

Ariel stood up again, and began to walk around. She had never been to a ball before! They had had festivals in the kingdom before, and she knew how to dance, but not on two feet! Oh, it was all just so exciting!

Urchin passed through the hall, helping Cassandra carry her cleaning supplies for the day's work.

She balked for a moment, but was perplexed. Why had he so suddenly gone away? Testing his motives, she waved to him. He kindly waved back with his free hand, but made no moves to start a conversation (of sorts, clearly) or even acknowledge her more than he needed to.

He had given up! Ariel beamed as soon as he had left. Finally, she was free! She could be a human, be with Eric! She clamped her hands to her heart and jumped on the balls of her feet.

"Ariel?" Eric called. Reaching out his hand, he invited her. "You wanna go now?"

Ariel ran to him and threw her arms around his neck. Oh, if only she could say what had just happened! If only she could speak and say just how much she loved him! Unable to speak, she merely hugged him harder, smiling, and pulled him out to the beach.

…

Margaret grew more and more excited with each passing minute. A swooning servant, Cassandra, Cleopatra, whatever, had informed her of a ball to be held tonight. Eric had kept it a secret from her – and Margaret knew why.

He was going to propose!

She'd be swept downstairs, the candles glittering as glamorous people swirled about, celebrating their love by finding their own. After twirling her throughout the dance floor, Eric would swoop down and kiss her, confessing his unwavering devotion, casting off the redhead, and taking her as his wife.

Oh, it was ever so romantic.

But Margaret couldn't let on that she knew – she didn't want to ruin the fun of this for him! So she sat in her room, going over the steps of the waltz and minuet, taking care to not slump and to twirl her skirts as much as possible.

Oh, she needed to find a dress! She pulled the cord for a servant. When one did not instantly materialize, she grew frustrated and pulled it a dozen more times.

"Yes, ma'am?" A slightly annoyed Cassandra entered the room, smoothing her skirts.

"I need a dress for the ball tonight, pick one out. I want to be…stunning." Margaret smiled and fell back into her comforter.

Cassandra sighed and obeyed, rummaging through Margaret's wardrobe and crinkling her nose at the hideous choices. "Any style in particular, ma'am?"

"Pick the one you think is best." Margaret cooed.

"Then I'll have to get a paper bag from the kitchen…" Cassandra mumbled.

"Tell me everything you know." Margaret commanded.

"About what, m'lady?" Cassandra asked obtusely.

"The ball, of course! What else is there to talk about?" Margaret sighed, standing and leaning on the banister of her four-poster.

"Of course, nothing else is happening in the kingdom." Cassandra mumbled sarcastically, still looking for a dress that did not look like gruel.

"What's the theme? Who's coming? When is Eric going to ask me to come? Why is he throwing it? I believe I know, but I want confirmation, mostly because I just like to hear it." Margaret rambled.

"The theme is 'ocean', the guests are anyone from the kingdom that wishes to come, and servants can come too, if they're asked. Mrs. Pattington, my supervisor, hates the idea of servants being able to attend and made that rule several years ago. Before that, Eric was fine with anyone coming that wanted to socialize. God, I hate her."

"I've had enough of your problems! Tell me about my ball!" Margaret snapped.

"_Your_ ball?" Cassandra turned her head to the left and looked her in the eye. "It's not your ball" she shrugged. "If you don't want to say it's Eric's, then it'd probably be Ariel's, after all, he is going to ask her to-"

"_**Ariel's ball?!"**_ Margaret screeched, crumpling her skirts in her fists.

"Yes, congratulations on your basic cognitive ability." Cassandra said almost inaudibility.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, ma'am, don't think a bit of it."

"I'll find my dress myself, leave!" Margaret pointed to the door and Cassandra scurried out quickly – before she changed her mind.

Margaret huffed and stomped around her room before she finally became to her senses and relaxed. It must be a send-off ball, something to say 'so long – get out.' There had to be the show for the kingdom, a way to let them know that Prince Eric didn't just leave one woman by the wayside when he truly fell in love. He's just protecting his image. How thoughtful! Another reason why he was the perfect man to be her king.

Smiling, she glided over to her wardrobe and selected the most heinous dress. Gray as overcooked oatmeal, it scrunched in the most awkward of places, making it impossible to flatter even the loveliest lady, much less Margaret. It was brand new, and she planned to send it over to some simpler friends; a daughter of a merchant, so that she'd have something fine to wear.

But tonight was going to be the dress' finest night! It would be the dress Margaret would be proposed to in. She was still adamant in that; she knew Eric loved her more than he was even able to show. Their lack of communication meant only that she was loved more.

Sighing, she traced the steps of the waltz again, humming softly. _Part of your world…_


	10. The Spell is Enacted

**Review C: Well…no one guessed it, so I'll just tell you ;D Margaret's hideous dress was the same as Mary's from **_**Courtship**_**. Sorry it's been so long since updating, so here's an extra-long chapter my loves! Review!**

Margaret stood anxiously at the balcony, looking down at the swirling servants, each rushing to set up the ball before its premiere at six o' clock tonight. It seemed the townspeople did not have very strict schedules, as nearly all who were invited were attending, but then again, a royal ball is not a typical event, and some plans may have been cancelled.

Margaret had yet to see Eric today, but thus was fitting, as the groom was not supposed to see the bride before the wedding. Practice!

She ran her hands across the smooth banister and sighed, retreating to her room. This ball was taking forever to get going and Eric had _still_ not asked her! Well, her years of introversion had taught her nothing if it had not taught her patience. She did not go to people, they came to her.

Plopping down on her duvet, she picked up the selection of shoes for the evening. Oatmeal brown, they matched perfectly with her dress. She squealed a little, but composed herself quickly, as a princess should.

She stood and spun the steps of a waltz, softly screeching "_What would I like…to rule over your kingdom. What would I take, to be here beside you? I would I love, to see you, dancing with me?"_

"Miss Margaret, are you going to the dance tonight?" Cassandra poked her head in, interrupting, thank God.

"Of course!" Margaret huffed. "It's the most important night of my life! Do kings show up to their crowning?"

"Most do, yes." Cassandra retorted, leaving as quickly as possible. She was not fond of this guest.

Margaret paused gently to think of more lyrics, and to spare the poor reader, we shall leave her here.

…

Ariel grinned from ear to ear and clasped her hands to her heart.

"I take it you like it?" Eric said with unneeded sheepishness.

Ariel vigorously nodded and threw her arms around him.

"I'm glad, this is all I really wanted to see." Eric smiled, referring to her happiness. "Of course, you have to promise to save me a dance."

Ariel humorously paused, as if this was actually something she had to take under consideration. Finally, shrugging as if it was a huge burden, she nodded.

Eric smiled down at her, bending down, he closed his eyes and, heart beating,-

"Eric, the ball is in an hour!" Carlotta rushed in, causing the two teenagers to reluctantly break apart. "You have to get dressed!"

"Third time's the charm." Eric smiled with good humor and, stuffing his hands in his pockets, he followed Carlotta up to his room.

"You head up too, this one doesn't take long to get ready – I'll be there in just a few moments!" Carlotta promised, waving Ariel off.

Ariel smiled and shrugged, dreamily retreating upstairs to get ready for the ball – it was coming so close!

"I'm here, I'm here!" Carlotta bustled in a few moments later. "Eric can dress himself, he just has a little trouble with matching."

Ariel silently giggled.

"Oh, one time Eric got in such a mess, he was only thirteen, and going through a little bit of a rebellious phase, where he thought it was cool to do the opposite of what I would say. But Eric was never much of a dissenter, so it was more incidences along the lines of me saying 'eat your peas!' and he'd smirk and eat a bite of potatoes." Carlotta laughed to herself and began to rummage through Ariel's closet to find a good dress. "But, anywho, I told him to get ready for an ambassador's ball, and be sure to wear his blue suit. But the little bugger put on the correct pants and shoes, but decided to wear this heinous green jacket – and not even change into the rest of the suit! After that, I always made a point to pick out his clothes, just to embarrass him." Without even pausing to let Ariel finish laughing, Carlotta transitioned into her next point of conversation – she had found Ariel's dress!

It was a soft pink, gathered at the sides. The sleeves were spitted and puffed, with complementary white fabric poking through.

"Redheads don't usually wear pink, but I think if anyone can pull it off, you can." Carlotta said sweetly, holding it up to Ariel.

Ariel beamed and hugged Carlotta.

"You like it?"

Ariel nodded harder and began taking off her other dress in order to try it on. Spinning around, she royally clasped her hands together and nodded, signaling her approval of the gown.

"Oh, you look even lovelier than I thought!" Carlotta cried. "Here, I'll get you some shoes, the ball is so soon, oh, you need your hair done, my, my, I have so much to do!"

…

Urchin desperately needed to find Ariel.

No, not for his original reasons. As unlikely as it might have once seemed, he did not love Ariel as much as he was told he did. Of course, he still loved her like a friend – he had known her forever! She was beautiful, naturally, but there wasn't that spark that he was eternally told to seek, he loved her, but he wasn't in love with her.

And he wrung his hands, not wanting to seem shallow or flighty, but he felt that her had to tell Ariel that he loved Cassandra. Did she even believe in love at first sight? He never had an opinion on it prior, but he knew now that as quickly as he fell for the maid, he was only going to fall deeper into love.

And this was how he came to the conclusion that he had to tell Ariel he was letting her go. She certainly loved this Prince Eric, and he certainly, undoubtedly, and irreversibly loved Cassandra, so why was this so hard? He had courage, somewhere, deep down, often masked by bullheadedness. But he needed to channel it. He would tell her tonight, at the ball.

It had to be simple to do such a thing, right? He still didn't want to see her upset; she was his best childhood friend. But how would he feel if she wasn't even fazed? She was never too enthusiastic about marrying him, and he doesn't want to marry her…

All may be fair in love and war, but combining the two was most unfair.

All Urchin could be sure of was that he had to be with Cassandra, whatever the cost.

So, he gulped, it was settled. Before the end of the ball, he would pull Ariel out onto the beach and tell her.

Poseidon, this was nerve-wracking.

…

Margaret spun around in her lumpy dress, awkwardly clasping her hands together and huffing. "I look splendid." She complimented herself.

Cassandra rolled her eyes and cupped her waist. "Are you ready?" she asked the arrogant and ignorant young woman.

"Yes, yes, I suppose!" Margaret fluffed her hair. It had been twirled up to coils, pinned against the back of her head. Overall, her head looked like a watermelon. She had a set of garish jewelry that clinked together when she walked. Thankfully, she was deprived of this social faux pas for her heels stomped so loudly, you could hardly hear the jewelry.

"I need to go get dressed." Cassandra stood up from her kneeling position, brushed off her skirt and hurried out.

Margaret took one more minute to ready herself, and then set out to her debut.

…

"Do you think she'll say yes?" Eric fidgeted. Before Grimsby had a chance to answer, Eric asked. "Do I look okay? Am I sweating? Wait! – oh, never mind, I _am_ wearing shoes."

"My boy, calm down!" Grimsby chuckled. "If you're truly concerned about your ensemble, I know of a lovely forest green jacket you could don…"

Eric smirked but shook his head, letting his hair flop down. "You'll never let me live that down, will you?"

"Not as long as I still have my bearings." Grimsby chuckled. "You look very regal-"

"Pretentious?"

"They're two very different things, and I chose regal for a reason. You've shown the young lady your fondness for her, and I am sure you will – finally!- be married."

Eric exhaled and steadied himself. "Thanks Grim." He smiled, grasping the ring in his pocked. Clasping Grimsby on the back, he continued. "For everything."

…

The ball was in full swing, and Cassandra was still searching for Eric! She had her assignment, she was supposed to make sure Eric saw Ariel…when she, uh, well, Cassandra hadn't all the information. But she needed to see Eric, get proposed to, and then have him see Ariel.

Scanning the room like a hunting dog, she elbowed her way through graceful waltzing couples, calling "Eric! Eric!"

…

"Ariel – Ariel!" Urchin's voice caught Ariel as she was headed to find Eric.

She raised an eyebrow and paused.

"I, uh, need you to come outside with me for a moment. Nothing is bad, I promise.

Ariel looked at him, puzzled, but she had known Urchin for quite some time, so there was no reason she couldn't trust him, right?

…

"This is perfect – too easy!" Ursula cackled, staring into her crystal ball. "Why, this couldn't have gone any better had I dictated their moves like puppets!"

Her eels cackled with her, circling the basin in which Ursula's integral potion.

"It should be any moment now – yes! They're walking out onto the beach! Gullible boy…" Ursula laughed, tapping her fingers together.

…

Margaret gasped. "They're going – they're – come _on_!" with that well-executed sentence, Margaret grabbed Eric's arm and pulled the boy after Ariel and Urchin, who had already started going down to the beach.

Eric stumbled behind her, throwing questions at her, but, ultimately, they were all ignored.

…

"Perfect, they're following! Stupid girl, wonderful, stupid girl!" Ursula readied her potion, she'd drop Ariel's hair in in just a moment…

The hairbrush rested in her cupboard, it was of no use now, but it was a sort of trophy.

Any minute…

With Ariel's DNA, she had control of the girl, provided, of course, she used it properly. And of course she will use it properly, she was Ursula!

…

Urchin turned and faced the sea, Ariel in front of him. Lumbering at an awkward pace, Margaret and Eric followed, their perspective allowing them to see the sides of Urchin and Ariel's faces and the gap between them.

"Ariel, I don't know how you'd perceive it, but I think I have good news."

…

Ariel shook her head a little. _What on earth did this boy mean_? But she waved her hand and allowed for him to continue.

She felt the strangest sensation in her abdomen, both cold and hot at the same time. Building inside of her, she felt as if she couldn't control it. It pulled her forward, made her unable to focus on what Urchin was saying, because she could no longer understand her own body.

…

"Ariel, I still like you very much, but I don't _love_-"

Ariel lurched forward and planted her lips on Urchin.

She flung her arms around him and closed her eyes, pressing herself to him.

…

Margaret clamped two piggy hands over her mouth.

…

Eric stopped breathing.

…

Urchin was too shocked to do anything but stand there.

…

Cassandra stood at the window and wept.

…

"_We've done it." _Ursula leaned up and saluted her two very special helpers.


	11. Back to the Sea

**Sorry it's been over a week...little bit of writer's block, little bit of laziness. Review! **

Ariel immediately began shaking her head. _No! I didn't mean to! I didn't control that! It just happened! Not just a mistake, like someone forced me! Urchin, do you understand?_

"Ariel…do you love me?" Urchin said, both apprehensively and excitedly.

Ariel shook her head and backed away.

"Ariel, it's okay, just tell me, somehow, I know you can!" Urchin approached her and Ariel fell back into ocean, her legs binding together into a tail.

"Oh, Poseidon, I forgot!" Urchin said, wading in, his tail re-appearing.

Ariel looked at him with fire in her eyes and launched herself towards him, beating him with her fists and crying.

"Hold on, what's wrong?" Urchin asked. Ariel had not been hurting him, but he held her hands to make her focus.

Ariel jerked her head to the side to look for Eric. He wasn't outside; he hadn't seen! Oh, but how would he find her?

"Ariel, did something happen?" By this time, Urchin was a merman again.

Ignoring the fact that she no longer had legs, Ariel tried to crawl back to shore and push herself upright. _You ruined it! You ruined it! Oh, everything was working so perfectly!_ Obviously failing, she sunk back into the silt and began to noiselessly sob.

"Ariel, come on." Urchin said. He didn't want to be insensitive, but he didn't know what to do. She was clearly mad at him, but he didn't know how he could fix it. If she didn't want to come back and marry him, why did she kiss him? "We have to go back. Back home."

_My home isn't under there anymore, don't you understand? Oh, what if I never see him again? _Ariel shook her head and flung her arms out, trying to push Urchin away, when, in fact, he hadn't even moved closer to her.

…

Eric ran out to his balcony and sank down, something he hadn't done since he was a child. He put his head in his hands and exhaled sharply, feeling tears building up against his eyelids. Shakily, he sat up.

"Eric?" Margaret peeped around the corner.

"Please leave me." Eric said softly, weakly.

"Oh, but she's shown herself, she's gone now. You don't need to worry about her anymore." Margaret beamed; she knew she was better for Eric than Ariel.

"Just go." Eric sighed and sat up a little straighter.

Margaret ignored his request and sat next to him. "Eric, _smile_." She cooed, stroking his cheek.

"Margaret, stop this." Eric snapped, standing up again. "Listen to me, and leave."

"Well, if you're going to be like this – may-maybe I should go home!" Margaret stood up with him and put her hands on her hips.

Eric glared at her. "Maybe you should."

Margaret huffed and spun around, running inside with her lumpy skirt flaring behind her.

Eric looked out into the balcony and down at the ocean. He saw Urchin and Ariel sitting in the water, Ariel shaking like she was laughing very hard. They were both half-covered by the water and Ariel's dress flared around her.

Eric looked down and tried to hold in tears. When he looked up again, Ariel was waving her arms at him like she was pleading.

He didn't know what was happening, but he understood something was wrong. He waved back at her to let her know he was coming down. Although any rational thinker would think he was setting himself up for heartbreak, Eric knew that somehow, _someway_ there had to be more to the story. At he'd never know from up there.

…

"We can't be seen." Urchin said, a little nervous at the prospect of Eric coming down. "Merpeople can't be seen by humans, you know that. Your father's said that to you many times, I know, I've heard him."

Ariel shook her head, her face brightened by the prospect of Eric coming. She pulled herself closer to the shore and waited, watching as he sprinted down the steps.

"Ariel, no, you're making me nervous." Urchin said, legitimately scared.

Ariel waved to him again and smiled._ Oh! I'll get to explain everything! Then we can figure a way out of this horrible mess!_

"Ariel!" Urchin almost-squealed and grabbed Ariel's wrist, pulling her underwater and back home.

…

Eric sprinted to the beach the second he saw Ariel disappear. He looked around and ran into the water. She was in so shallow – when could she have gone? How could she breathe? Did something get her?

He dove in and looked around – nothing. He came up for air, his clothes clinging to his skin, and he continued to swim farther and farther out in an attempt to find her!

"Ariel? Ariel!" he called out, cupping his hands around his mouth and trying to find her. That was the only thing he could think of right now – he had to find her!

He couldn't lose her again!

But, after twenty minutes of fruitless diving and swimming, calling and pleading, he had to accept that wherever she was; she wasn't here.

Oh, and what had she wanted to tell him?

…

"Where is Eric?" Grimsby wondered, muttering curses under his breath. The boy was always running off – and he was supposed to propose to the girl tonight!

Everything was supposed to be perfect. They'd take the floor, dancing the last waltz, in the center of the room. The guests would back off and let them be the focus. Then, once the song ended, Eric would get down on one knee and propose. Once Ariel accepted (oh, she just had to!) they would live happily in the castle, forever.

Grimsby didn't like to show it, but he was secretly a romantic. He had mixed land and sea perfectly in the theme, for both of the lovebirds were so enamored with the ocean. Everything was stately, but not pompous. The food was delicious, of course, Chef Louie was a genius.

But where was Eric?

And for that matter, where was Ariel? He thought the two would be dancing or talking, somewhere in a private corner. But they were both missing, though certainly together.

Carlotta ran up to him, out of breath. "COME!" she commanded, pulling Grimsby by the frills of his shirt.

"Carlotta, my dear, this is highly improper – and uncomfortable! What on earth is-"

Grimsby stopped in his tracks, his jaw dropped.

"Hi, Grim." Eric said flatly.

He was dripping wet, his clothes trashed, and the little redhead so normally glued to him was nowhere to be seen. One of his shoes was missing, and the other was scuffed. There was sand in his hair and seaweed hanging out of his pockets.

"Wha-what-what-" Grimsby, a normally very composed man, stuttered.

"She's gone." Eric sighed, crossing his arms. "I'm just going to go to bed. I- I can't."

Grimsby and Carlotta watched as the boy, who had been so bubbly for the past week, now slunk up to his room, reminiscent of so many previous days.

…

Cassandra sat in her quarters, vacillating between crying and sitting in shock. She had seen it happen with her own eyes – there's no way she was making a mistake! They had kissed! Ariel had kissed him, but he made no move to stop her – he kissed her back.

She began to cry.

No, no. She wiped her eyes with her hem of her gown. Oh, she had been such a fool. A boy washes up on the beach, shows some interest in her, and all of the sudden they're supposed to be in love? No, she had been immature. Of course he loved Ariel. She was lovely and pretty and graceful and oh-

She cried a little more.

_Was this even a situation worth fighting for?_ She wondered, sitting up and exhaling staccato. Was Urchin really hers, or did he just need a tour guide? Maybe there was more to the story? After all, he didn't initiate the kiss – but he kissed her back! Oh, why was this so complicated?

She slid forward and laid on her back, letting silent tears roll down her face.

The worst part of all this, she figured, is that she'd take Urchin back in a second, if only he'd come.

…

"Ariel, cheer up." Urchin pleaded, reaching out to pat her back.

Ariel jerked to the side and glared at him, swimming faster in front of him.

"Ariel what wrong?"

_What's wrong? What's wrong? I got to spend a week with the love of my life and all of the sudden you bring me back here! I still can't speak – I don't know why – and Eric is up in the castle with hundreds of other women, probably dancing right now._ Ariel closed her eyes and slowed down, sitting on a nearby boulder.

"Ariel, whatever you want me to do, I'll make it happen." Urchin promised, swimming over and sitting down next to her.

Ariel glared at him for a moment and then tapped her throat.

"You want to be able to speak again?" Urchin asked.

Ariel nodded.

Urchin laughed nervously. "I hoped you would start with something a little less challenging – like a snack?"

Ariel sighed and pushed off the rock. She'd get her voice back, she'd get Eric back, and she didn't need Urchin's help to do so.


	12. Out of the Sea

**Review!**

King Triton's reactions were inconsistent, though understandable. Upon the return of his daughter, he first hugged the moping girl, kissing the top of her head, apologizing for whatever it was he had done to drive her away, and promising everything would be fine. After the initial shock settled down, he grew angry. Why had she left? No note, no warning? How was he supposed to know she wasn't dead?!

Ariel jerked her arms across in a big 'x'. No! No! She didn't run away to hurt her father or get him back; she ran away seeking, not fleeing! She had to be with Eric, and she knew that now more than ever! If only she could speak, she might be able to make him understand.

"Ariel, what happened to your voice?" King Triton asked, peering down. Normally the headstrong teenager would be shouting by now, but she still mimed things.

"She lost her voice." Urchin explained. "I don't know how, she won't up one morning and she couldn't talk."

"I'll call for the doctor." Triton nodded, turning.

"It was already done." Urchin noted.

"How is that possible?"

"Prince Eric called a doctor. They have them on land, too. He said there was nothing wrong with her."

"PRINCE. ERIC. DO TELL ME WHO PRINCE ERIC IS." Triton roared, cornering his daughter.

Ariel tapped her throat, reminding the fearful and fearsome king that she couldn't speak.

"He rescued Ariel from the beach, and I think – I thought – she loved him." Urchin said quietly, but brightened as he threw an arm around Ariel's shoulders. "But she doesn't!" he exclaimed. "Ariel loves me – she kissed _me_!"

Triton was a little taken aback. Partially because he hadn't expected to have Ariel like anyway he would have arranged her with, and partially because he didn't like the idea of Ariel kissing _anyone_, no matter how much he approved of him. "Well, I guess it did work out then." Triton said softly, hugging his daughter again, he retreated to his room. He had worked everything out, and now he just needed time to process.

…

"You idiots!" Ursula exclaimed, whipping a bottle at Flotsam and Jetsam. "How could you have distracted me – I never add the wrong ingredient, this is _your_ fault!"

"_Sorry!"_

"_Sorry!"_

"_Sorry!"_

"_Sorry!"_

The eels chanted their apologies, believing wholeheartedly that Ursula's mistake was their own.

You see, the potion that took away Ariel's voice and turned her back into a mermaid (upon touching water) was improperly made. Missing an angelfish, it did not have the lasting power to keep Ariel subservient. Why, with true love's kiss, she would be human and vocal again. But without such a jolt, Ariel would be left with her present conditions.

"Bring her here! I need to lock her up!" Ursula foamed, jerking around her cavern. Without a bargaining chip as good as Ariel, how could she ever get the throne?

This had to be fixed.

…

_I need to see him again._ Ariel thought. This time, no one would be able to stop her, because no one would know – until it was too late. She felt a slight twinge of regret at selfishly running away, and part of her wanted to tell someone, but she talked herself out of it and just wrote a note, leaving it on King Triton's bedside table.

She swam up to the surface and pulled herself out onto the beach. Nestling in the sand and letting the tide lap around her tail, she pulled her hair off the side and waited. Staring at the castle, she wondered when, if, Eric would come out.

And what if someone else found her? A mermaid was not a typical sight, they might try to harm her-

No. She dug herself in deeper. She was staying here. She wasn't leaving until she got to see Eric. She had to be able to explain – she just had to!

After a few hours of waiting, she saw a stocky figure lumbering down the beach, a large sheepdog prancing about him. Eric! Max! ERIC!

She pulled herself up to her hips and waved an arm. Eric paused and placed his hand on his forehead like a visor, pausing. Then, in just a second, he took off in a sprint, and slid down to sit beside her.

"Ariel!" he exclaimed, taking her face into his hands. "Ariel?" his eyes traveled down to her tail, which Ariel bashfully tucked behind her. Eric gave her a puzzled look of disbelief.

She looked up at him and shrugged.

"How…?" Eric asked her, still holding her face.

Ariel tapped her throat, reminding him that she couldn't speak.

"Do you still – do you still want to come back to the castle?" Eric asked.

Ariel nodded and scooted forward.

"So you do want to stay with me?" Eric confirmed.

Ariel nodded again and looped her arms around his neck.

Eric cracked a half-smile and scooped her up into his arms. Ariel sighed contently, resting her head on his shoulder as he carried her upstairs, past the shocked servants (Grimsby included!) and placed her in the bathtub.

"You do need to be in water, I'm assuming?" Eric asked.

Ariel nodded and blew some bubbles at him.

Eric smiled, sitting at the edge of the tub. He brushed her bangs out of her face and looked at her. Taking her hand, he softly said "I'm so glad you're back."

…

Triton found the note sooner than Ariel had expected, and he instantly showed it to Urchin.

"Well?" he demanded, his voice booming. "Aren't you going to go get her?"

"No."

Urchin had refused to go drag Ariel back down under the sea, a fact that gave Triton what he thought was fair reason to blast him into a thousand pieces.

"What do you mean no?!"

"King Triton, please, take this with my respect, but know that she'll only go back if I bring her down! I'm tired, sir, I'm tired of chasing her when I know just as well as you do that she'll never stop running. If she loves the human, then why can't she just be with him?"

Triton was deadly silent for a moment, and then he pulled Urchin close and barked "BRING HER BACK!" Swimming off, he left Urchin shaking in his skin but firm in his resolve.


	13. 3 More Days

**Hey, sorry for the short chapter, I'll try to update quicker. Review!**

"Eric, you need to listen to reason!" Grimsby insisted, sitting across from the man at the table.

"Grimsby, you can't be doing this to me! You can't be serious!"

"I am the head of your estate, in charge of managing you, and it was your parents' wishes to have you married by your eighteenth birthday. I took this liberally, and pushed this off as long as I could. But you're almost nineteen Eric, in just a few weeks' time, and you've put no real effort into settling down!"

"Grimsby," Eric grabbed the back of his neck and sighed. "Grim, it's not that I don't want to get married, it's just, I don't know if she wants to marry me."

"If you're talking about Ariel, I'm going to have to put my foot down. She was a lovely guest but she's a mermaid – I'm still in disbelief! You're fooling around with a pet, Eric, you can't truly mean to love her! It isn't proper, it isn't right."

"Yeah, well, I don't care! I do love her Grim, and I'll marry her. But she lost her voice, so, I can't really know if-"

"If she really loves you or is in it for some fish flakes, yes, yes."

"_Grim_!"

"Oh, stop it Eric, why, I've had enough of this. I've already chosen, and you shall be marrying her in three days."

"WHAT!? GRIM!-"

"Eric, you know I'll always been liberal in your upbringing. After your parent's unfortunate accident, I never wanted you to feel deprived, predominantly out of honor for them, but also out of love for you. But I have to follow through on this wish for them, for you. They wanted you to continue to the line, to rule with a woman by your side. They didn't want you to be alone Eric, and you have to respect that. You will be marrying Margaret."

"Grim-"

"Now, you do have to still propose to her." Grim stood up and tucked his hands behind his back, walking closer to Eric.

"Oh, no. Oh, never. Grimsby I am not going to _marry_-"

"Eric, stop resisting! It makes me weary. " Grimsby took his handkerchief and rubbed it on his temple. "I will propose the idea to her for you. I will anticipate an acceptance and prepare accordingly. I expect you to do the same."

…

_**Darling Margaret,**_

_**How are you my dear? I have received no correspondence, and am wildly anticipating your letter back. I'm sure you already got your Prince! He was a very forgiving man, and I'm sure you turned on the charm as you promised!**_

_**So, thusly, I have sent a ship to pick you lovebirds up. It should be arriving around August 15**__**th**__**, give or take a few days, naturally. You'll return to the kingdom and we'll work out the details from there.**_

_**Do send a letter dear, I'm itching for happy news!**_

_**Love,**_

_**Mother**_

Margaret looked up from the letter and let a hand rest on her fluttering heart. August 15 was only three days away! How was she supposed to go home with her tail between her legs?

The pressure of it was incredible. There's no way she could get Prince Eric in three days, he had made that clear enough.

Margaret sat down on her bed and put her face into her hands and let little sobs come to her. She was never good under pressure. Oh, could she just stay up in her room for the next three days? Maybe on the trip home she could make something up.

Better! She could say she refused Eric and that – no. That's too stupid. No one would buy that. A few tears ran down her face and she let them linger, reveling in her own self-pity. A few tears in front of her mother and she should be home free, sailed off the find a new prince.

Oh, and she had really wanted to marry Eric, too! He was so handsome and rich, and his kingdom was almost twice the size of her own! Such nobility proved to be useless, for he clearly did not return her affections. Standing, sighing, she moved over to the window and leaned against it for the first time over the course of her trip.

Crumpling the letter, she whipped it to the floor and sunk down onto her bed once more. Throwing an arm over her eyes, she griped how the intense sunlight bothered her.

Oh Eric! Forcing tears, she went back to lamenting. She always liked how the color of her eyes was amplified after she cried. If only you could love me back!

There was a knock at the door. Grimsby, Eric's caretaker and advisor, called through the door.

"Margaret, my dear, may I come in?"

**Review!**


	14. The First Day

**Okay, so I can give you guys quick updates with shorter chapters, so does that work for all y'all? Review!**

"Here, I brought you something to do." Eric said, smiling weakly at Ariel.

Ariel cupped her hands around some bubbles and blew them at Eric.

"I got you some pencils and erasers and markers and canvas. It's probably not the best thing because they'll get a little…wet, but I can't think of anything else."

Ariel smiled at him and spun a pencil around her fingers.

"I'm sorry." Eric said, sitting on the edge of the tub. "I want to spend more time with you but I have, something, that, just, I have to work it out."

Ariel scooted forward and raised an eyebrow, resting her hand on Eric's.

Eric looked into her eyes and shook his head. "I can't tell you yet. I'm sorry."

Ariel sighed and leaned back, still holding his hand.

"Careful, you'll pull me in!" Eric laughed.

Ariel bit her lip and smirked, giving Eric a quick tug and sending him toppling into the bathtub.

"Hey!" Eric sat up and shook his head like a dog. He laughed and lightly splashed Ariel. "No fair, if you get wet it barely even counts."

Ariel tapped him with her tail and then tucked it underneath herself.

"Eric!" A voice called up the stairs.

"I hate this." Eric mumbled. Ariel took his hand again. "Sorry." Eric apologized. "I shouldn't be pessimistic. Even if it's not an ideal situation, you're still here!" He ran a hand down her cheek.

"_Eric!"_

Eric sighed. "I should go. I'll be back, I promise."

…

"Eric!" Margaret clapped her hands together and threw them round the prince.

"Margaret, what?-"

"Eric, I relayed your proposal to the ma'am and she very kindly agreed." Grimsby nodded, raising an eyebrow and instructing Eric to play along.

"Agreed! I'm overjoyed!" Margaret threw her arms around Eric again, despite his obvious displeasure. "Why, we must get to know each other a little better." She walked her fingers up Eric's arm and he backed away.

"How about a day around town?" Grimsby suggested, giving Eric a look that suggested that he had no other option.

"Sounds lovely!" Margaret cooed, draping away from Eric but letting her arm hang around his neck.

"Great idea, Grim." Eric said flatly.

"Oh, you do have a covered carriage, right?" Margaret asked, pursing her lips. "I simply can't stand to be out in the sun for long periods of time. I freckle."

"God forbid." Eric sarcastically quipped, shrugging her arm off his shoulder.

"I'll go pick out a dress, dear." Margaret sighed, leaning in to kiss Eric. But he turned his head at the last moment, and she only caught his cheek.

"Eric, you must not resist so." Grimsby said as soon as Margaret was out. "Arraigned marriages have been around for a while, and there's a reason for that – they work! They're not founded on simple fancy, but a long history of family ties or commonalities."

"We have nothing in common, Grim." Eric snorted. "She's boring. I hate to say it, but I'm past the point in my patience of putting it lightly. She doesn't like to go outside or stay inside. She doesn't like books or plays, she isn't artistic or adventurous or funny or clever or smart or nice or charming or anything. She's just _there_. I'm sure some man will find her perfect, there's someone out there for everyone, right? It just isn't _me_."

"Well you're going to have to make it you. Try a little harder, Eric. She could surprise you."

…

Urchin knew this was bad. This was very, very bad. He shouldn't be here, he had learned his lesson, right? Well, clearly no. This was bad.

But then why did he swim closer?

Ursula's lair was looming scarily in the distance, and despite his common sense, despite the fact that every fiber of his being was begging him to turn around – swim the other way!- Urchin grew closer.

"My darling helper, back so soon?" Ursula leered, pursing her lips into a hideous pout and leaning forward.

"I need your help." Urchin gritted his teeth. There was no other way to do this.

"Yes, of course, what is it?" Ursula smiled.

"I need you to make me human – just for a couple days! Then we'll go from there."

"What happened here?" Ursula smiled wickedly. "What happened to young Ariel?"

"I was an idiot." Urchin mumbled. "I liked her, I've always liked her. She's pretty, I've always known that. But I was never in love with her, and I kept trying to trick myself into thinking I was. But," he smiled now, "when I was up on land, I met this girl, Cassandra, and she's just-"

"And now you want to be with her, yes, yes, yes." Ursula flicked her hand. Her face split into a smile. "I'll tell you what. If you can get Cassandra to fall in love with you, and agree to become a mermaid, in no more than three sunsets, then you two can live happily ever after. In return, you must sacrifice Ariel to me, tell no one, refuse to protect her, and lead me to her however I see fit."

Urchin gulped.

"And of course, you understand that if you fail, I will be bringing Cassandra back with me down into the ocean and leaving you up on the land. I'm not going unrewarded here. It's a tough deal, I know, but how much do you really love her? Enough to take this leap? Enough to give up Ariel?"

Urchin floated in silence for a moment. Looking up powerfully, he nodded his head and said "You've got a deal."

Ursula grabbed and nearby bottle, gleaming. "You better hurry up and drink it, sweetie!" she exclaimed. "Your first sun is setting!"

**Review!**


	15. The Beginning of the Second Day

**Hey y'all please review, it's so encouraging!**

Eric sucked it up and went into town with Margaret, a decision he regretted almost instantly.

"Oh Eric, to think that we'll be married! What a novelty, of course, it is quite the inconvenience. Now, I don't wish to put the tab on mommy and daddy, I'm selfless, truly, you know, so we must see the shops and pick a few things up. You don't have to pay – you're the prince! Aha, there! Everyone in happy!" Margaret bubbled, draping herself over Eric arm and dragging him to every dress shop, trying on different shades of grey and white.

"Is that the once?" Eric sighed, lifting his forehead from his palm as Margaret twirled in her seventy-eighth dress.

"Well, it's a bit of an eggshell hue and I was really going for off-white, so…no." Margaret said softly, retreating back to the dressing room.

"Margaret…" Eric moaned.

At the slightest hint of inconvenience and resistance, Margaret buckled, agreeing – much to Eric's relief! – to return back to the castle.

Night had long past fallen upon their return, the clock striking eleven.

"I'm going to go see Ariel," Eric nodded at Grim, hurriedly passing by.

"Uh-uh, not so fast!" Grimsby warned, grabbing Eric's arm and pulling him back. "The wedding, your wedding to _Margaret_, is tomorrow!"

"Grim…" Eric pressed again, his patience long gone, he didn't know how to make it any clearer to Grim that he wasn't going to marry Margaret, no matter what!

"Eric, let me make this clear." Grimsby said stiffly and coldly. "I am in charge of you and your estate, and I have arranged this marriage for you. Margaret is a lovely girl, and while I admit I had my doubts about her long, long ago, she has more than proved her love and loyalty by coming her. She loves you more than any other girl ever will, and it's about time you looked past her shell and saw that she is a lovely girl. I don't know what you'll do about Ariel, but she's a mermaid Eric. You can't keep a Queen in a bathtub for the rest of her life, so it's time to let her go."

"Grimsby, you don't understand!" Eric said, pulling the man off to the side. "I already want to marry Ariel, but, I just don't know if she wants to marry me. If I could just know, then, fins or not, I'd marry her."

Grimsby rolled his eyes at the ceiling. "You do enjoy these sadistic strains on my heart, don't you, Eric? If she agrees to marry you before the wedding, then, very well. There will be nothing but difficulties to come, not to mention producing a heir, but I'm not going to deny you your improbable hope. But if she doesn't _explicitly_ agree, you shall marry Margaret."

"Done!" Eric beamed, shaking Grimsby's hand and pulling him in for a hug. "Thank you, Grimsby!" Beaming, Eric took a step towards the stairs.

"Eric?" Grimsby raised an eyebrow and tucked his hands behind his back.

"Yes?" Eric said, trying not to sound worried.

"You still have a wedding tomorrow, and a rehearsal tonight. You must keep up your side of the bargain…"

Eric looked up the stairs towards the bathroom where Ariel was sitting, and rolled his head back, groaning. He had to do what it would take.

…

The rehearsal was not an all-out affair, thank God, as Grimsby had not had time to invite people. It was a simple outline – where to dance, where to walk, what to say. Margaret, protesting of an irritating headache, had gone to bed, and the clock struck two in the morning.

Eric tossed and turned in bed for roughly fifteen minutes, before he decided he simply had to check on Ariel, just on the off chance that she could possibly be awake. He lightly walked down the hallway and opened the bathroom to find art supplies scattered about the tub. The redhead herself was curled up, fins draped over the side of the tub.

He felt that he shouldn't wake her, so he sighed and went back to bed. Pulling the covers over his head, he planned just how he could see her tomorrow.

…

"Cassandra!" Urchin beamed, finally arriving at the castle. He had stolen a pair of stray pants off a line in town, but was otherwise unclothed.

Sadly, he had not broken the surface near the castle, and wandered for hours until he finally reached the dwelling of his love.

Love left no time for one to be meek, and although Urchin feared Cassandra would not take him back, he knew he had to try. After all, time was limited, and it was already the second day!

He got into the castle easily, a fact surprising to him, as he thought the prince would be well-guarded. However, he was apparently very trusting, for all the doors were unlocked. Urchin remembered the layout of the castle, and quickly found his way to the servants' quarters.

He took a deep breath and suddenly became very aware of his poor dress. Hopefully the servants didn't share rooms. Helpful little plaques marked who's room was who's, and there was a 'Cassandra' and 'Delaney' scrawled on one.

They did share. Shoot.

Still, he sucked in his abs and knocked.

"At this hour, why it better be-" Cassandra's voice cut out as she looked up at Urchin. Her eyes traveled to his abs and quickly snapped back up.

"Hi?" Urchin said awkwardly.

"Ooh, who is that?" Delaney, a ebony-haired girl rolled over and propped herself up.

"Hi? Hi?!" Cassandra slapped Urchin and pushed him back into the hallway. Shutting the door on an eager Delaney, she grabbed his arm and pulled him down the hall and out of the servants' quarters. "That's what you have to say to me? HI?!"

Urchin balked. "I can explain."

"Oh that's original." Cassandra fumed, pushing him back again. "You've got two minutes and then I swear to God I'll drag you up to that mermaid and she can help me drown you. You come back for her, and here you are in this – this – this _state_, what kind of girl do you think I am?"

"I'm not here for Ariel!" Urchin insisted, grabbing Cassandra's arms and pulling her to sit down. "Please, just give me a chance."

Cassandra furrowed her brow and relaxed. "You have five minutes."

**Review!**


	16. The Beginning of the Third Day

**Please review! One little mistake, the second day was completed at the end of the chapter, (I lost track of my timeline, oops!) So Urchin reached the castle at the beginning of the third day! I'll fix it later. Maybe. I also could forget.**

"And I know I've been terrible at showing it, but I do want to make it up to you. I want you to marry me, Cassandra, and let me spend the rest of my life proving my devotion!" Urchin pleaded, having spent twenty minutes explaining the backstory to this twisted event, intermittently assuring her of his love and apologizing.

"I don't know…" Cassandra plopped her face in her palms. "Urchin, why are you making this so hard? Maybe you should have stayed away…"

"No, Cass, don' say that!" Urchin said, hurt. He grabbed her hands and tried to angle himself to look into her eyes. "I know that I've screwed up – big time – but please, please, please, please just give me a chance to fix it. Please."

"You need to learn a new word." Cassandra grumbled, slumping forward, but still not letting go of Urchin's hands.

Urchin smiled a little. "I'm honestly glad you didn't push me out a window on sight."

"You're not out of the woods yet, don't get confident." Cassandra retorted.

Urchin wanted to put his arm around her, but he didn't want to push her any more at the moment. Still, he realized that he had only until the sun set tonight to get her to agree to marry him and become a mermaid, so he decided to push a little. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and smiled as she leaned into him.

"But if we are going to try this again, you need to stop being such an idiot." Cassandra said half-jokingly.

"Thank you, my poet." Urchin smiled and rested his chin on her head.

"Time will tell, I guess, I wish I could know things about you, about me, about us, before I had to learn them the hard way. How splendid to see the future, to know whether or not things will work out…or if you're just wasting your time."

Urchin jumped at the opportunity to prove himself. "I'll show you, I'll prove it!" he exclaimed, sitting up and turning Cassandra to see him again. "Marry me, Cassandra, I already said it – but I mean it! I do want to spend the rest of my life with you, I really do!"

"M-marry you!" Cassandra shrunk back a little. "When? How?"

"Today! This morning! We'll go down to the chapel, borrow a priest for half an hour. Your friend, Delaney, she can be a witness. I don't care how fancy it is, I just want to marry you!" Urchin insisted.

Cassandra raised a dark brow and looked Urchin up and down. Her face near expressionless, she accepted like she was calling a bluff. "Very well. I'll marry you. Come back in six hours, I'll be ready." She smiled a little and squeezed Urchin's hands, lightening her visage.

"Oh!" Urchin claimed and wrapped his arms around his fiancé. Peeling back, he kissed her. "Cassandra, you don't know how happy you've made me."

…

Eric couldn't sleep and as soon as it was a reasonable hour, eight 'o clock, to be exact, he went to go see Ariel. He tried to fix his hair, but tossing and turning had made it scraggly beyond repair, so he gave up quickly.

He knocked lightly on the bathroom door, and there was a knock in response. He took that as a signal to come in.

"Oh, wow, what've you done?" Eric smiled and looked at the hundreds of scribbles Ariel had doodled. People, ocean scenes, you name it, she had drawn it. A small frown played at his lips. "You must've been really bored, huh?"

Ariel shrugged and smiled up at him.

"Which one's your favorite?" Eric smiled, and Ariel leapt for the nearest canvas and handed it to him, smiling.

It was a colorful wedding scene, one she had clearly spent significant time on. Guest crowded around the couple, packed elbow to elbow on a large boat deck. Sun shone from above the couple, illuminating them as they stood at a floral-trimmed alter. The couple, much to Eric's delight, was himself and Ariel.

"Is this our wedding?" Eric asked, beaming down at her.

Ariel sat up and nodded excitedly.

"Do you want to marry me?" Eric grabbed her hand and held on tightly to the canvas.

Ariel nodded and scooted closer to him.

"You do love me?" Eric smiled and dropped the picture and her hand, cupping her face.

Ariel nodded vigorously, throwing her arms around him.

Eric leaned back and smiled at the ceiling, and then he snapped forward and kissed Ariel. "I love you so much." He said quickly, and then kissed her again.

"I love you too, Eric."

**Review, please, it's so encouraging! **


	17. Letting Go

**Please review, my ever-patient readers! So sorry, it's AP week here, and I've been rather bogged down…**

Margaret awoke and stretched. She winched at the sunlight in her room, and grumbled as she sat up and ran her fingers through her tangled hair. Suddenly, she sat up straight and beamed. She was getting married today!

She fluffed her hair and went to look at her perfect wedding dress. She grinned like an idiot, for the first time in her life she was actually excited about something. It was not a varying degree of complacency; she couldn't wait to have Eric's kingdom, his riches, and the peasants!

Still in her off-white nightgown, she ran down the blue-carpeted stairs and halted at the bottom, looking at the shocking sight below. Eric and Ariel - _human Ariel_! – were spinning around. She laughed, loudly, clearly, and _with her own voice_.

"Ariel is back?" she whispered to herself, brushing her dull hair back. "Oh what am I supposed to do?" she pouted, knowing she'd never stand a chance. "Eric!" she pouted, clomping down the stairs.

"Margaret? Margaret! Margaret…" Eric said, quickly going through the emotions of confusion, surprise, and dread.

"Margaret, indeed. We're getting married!" she put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

Eric sheepishly looked at the ground. He hadn't handled this very well, had he?

"You're marrying her?" Ariel asked, her voice wobbling and full of hurt.

"No! Well, yes. But…give me a minute." Eric kissed the top of Ariel's head and beckoned for Margaret to follow him. Submitting, she did.

"Margaret, I'm not going to be condescending. You must have noticed I don't treat you the way you deserve." Eric began, holding out his hands.

"Now-" Margaret interrupted.

"Please just let me finish." Eric said calmly.

Margaret balked and sighed.

"I don't love you Margaret, you're not for me. There's nothing explicitly wrong with you, I don't want to hurt you, I just don't love you. I don't want to tie you to a marriage that's not everything you deserve. You want someone who loves you more than anything else in the whole world. And I just don't, Margaret."

"You love Ariel." She said softly, crossing her arms and looking down.

Eric nodded. "More than anything."

"And you want to marry her."

"More than you'll ever know."

"And if you marry me, well, you obviously can't be with her."

"I'm sorry." Eric circumvented.

Margaret was never a bold girl. She believed in a great many ideals but very few principles. From her childhood, she had never been one to strike out or stand up. There were attempts to educate it out of her, of course, who has any use for a passive queen? But, despite her mother's denial and her tutor's false praises, Margaret had, if anything, regressed. So, Margaret did what she did best. But that was okay, because what Margaret did best was the best thing to do.

"Go, be with her." She sighed, dipping her head. "Who am I to stand between you two?"

Eric smiled and clasped her hands. "I knew you'd understand, you're a wonderful girl, Margaret."

Margaret nodded, barely listening. "The ship will be here soon, I guess, I, erm, should, uh…pack." She said awkwardly, knowing she should leave, but not knowing where to go. She curtsied quickly, and strolled up to her room to organize her things.

…

Urchin stood in one of the oddest ensembles he had ever worn. Ariel had shown him plenty of pictures of human men in their human clothes, but he wasn't sure if he was doing it right. He wore a pair of pants, shoes without socks, a woman's shift (tucked in) and a hair ribbon around his neck like a bow. Passing by a window, he checked himself. Yes, he was dressed properly. Must be the excitement of it all.

He knocked on Cassandra's door. He stood, waiting. A few minutes passed. He knocked again. "Cassandra?" he waited and shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Cassandra, are you in there?"

No response.

"Cassandra, it's me, Urchin! I'm here on time, right?"

No response.

"Cassandra, you don't have to come out yet if you're not ready, but at least say something so I know you're there!"

No response.

He knocked again, steadied himself, and forced himself to be patient. Perhaps she was playing a joke? A few minutes passed and he leaned against the wall, counting to ten over and over again. "Cassie!" he whimpered, leaning against the door. "Did your feelings change? Speak to me, please!"

No response.

Suddenly Urchin was felt with a surge of panic. Maybe there was something wrong – she could be hurt, knocked out! What if she was in trouble, what if she was dying? Knocking loudly, he called out. "Cass, if you don't respond, I'm coming in to check on you!" He knocked again, stood back, and waited.

No response.

Panicking a little, Urchin threw open the door, revealing…nothing. The two beds were made, the room was neat. There was no note, no dress, no Cassandra. Circling his eyes around, he noticed one of the windows was open, wide enough for a person to squeeze through. The curtains fluttered tauntingly.

"Your bride isn't in there."

Urchin spun around, and saw Cassandra standing in the doorway, hands clasped behind her back. She wore a soft blue dress, it fluffed out from her natural waist and spun to the floor. Twirling, she asked "Do you like it? It took a lot of alteration, as I'm sure you noticed, it took a tad bit longer than I expected." She came to a rest and looked up at him.

Urchin crossed the room in two strides and took her in his arms, hugging her tightly and spinning her around. Kissing the top of her head, he assured her "I love it. You look beautiful."

Cassandra leaned back to look into his eyes. "Come one," she said playfully, taking both his hands and pulling him out of the room. "Let's go get married!"


	18. The End?

**Sorry it took so long, I've been lazy and had major writer's block D: Review, darlings!**

Eric had spent the entire day with Ariel, from as soon as Margaret left to when the sun first began to dip. Ariel had taken the tumultuous situation in stride and, in all honesty, was just relieved to have everything calmed down, relieved to be with Eric. Finally.

"Ariel!" Cassandra rushed across the room and pulled the redhead into her arms.

Over Ariel's stay the two girls had become fast friends.

"Oh, Cassandra, you look radiant!" Ariel insisted, stepping back to admire the brunette.

Cassandra had changed out of her wedding dress and into a simple white one. It swung around her mid-calves and fell from her shoulders.

"Well," Cassandra dipped her head. "I'm a married woman now."

"I was talking about the dress, but you must tell me everything!" Ariel beamed.

Cassandra settled into herself and leaned back. She looked up at Urchin and Ariel broke out in a smile.

"You married him?" Ariel said softly, beaming.

Cassandra nodded. "It was quick…but when you know, you know, right?"

Ariel nodded. "Believe me, I understand more than anyone." She gave a half-smile and hugged Cassandra.

Urchin gave a small sigh of relief. Everything was solved, it was over! Ariel was with the man she belonged, any day now Eric had to propose – if he hadn't already! And, even more importantly, Urchin was with his true love – the girl he had chosen for himself! She was perfect for him, and by such a strange twist of fate that he met her while pursuing another! Contented, Urchin stretched his head back and looked out the window.

The sun was almost set.

A wave of panic flooded suddenly over Urchin as he remembered his promise to Ursula. The only way he could stay human, be with Cassandra is by sacrificing Ariel! Part of him regretted this selfish act, but he saw no other way out! He could never be with Cassandra if he didn't have legs, he couldn't force her to become a mermaid, and he had worked so hard to fulfill the rest of the deal. Was he wrong? No. Urchin forced himself to stop questioning his moves, he was in too deep to back out now.

"I'm going to go get myself something to drink, do any of you want anything?" Ariel asked the group.

"I'm fine." Cassandra smiled.

"No thanks, love." Eric squeezed her hand.

Ariel excused herself and headed towards the kitchen.

"Actually, I'm going to grab a snack." Urchin lied and scurried off after her.

Cassandra furrowed her brow and shook her head.

"So, um, what are your plans for the future?" Eric said rather awkwardly.

"Well, we're going to find a small house somewhere in town, and I don't know where Urchin's going to work, but I'll stay here – at least until he gets a job." She hurriedly continued "It's been lovely working here, of course, you're very accommodating, but I – I really want to be a mother."

"No, no, you don't have to explain yourself." Eric smiled. "I hope Ariel feels the same way you do. I've always wanted a family."

"It's so exciting, being in love, isn't it?" Cassandra smiled. "Why-" Cassandra took this choice moment to glance behind her, and she saw Urchin dragging Ariel outside. "OH HELL NO." she snapped.

Eric furrowed his brow and started after them. "What is going on?" he demanded to no one in particular.

Cassandra and Eric were running quickly, and caught up to the former-merpeople. The sun was only minutes from setting, and Urchin had his arms around Ariel's waist, pinning her arms to her sides. She struggled, but he overpowered her.

"What are you doing?" Eric demanded, but feel to the ground when the sea erupted, revealing Ursula.

"You know out bargain." She smirked, holding out her hand.

"Sorry…" Urchin said with minimal sincerity, loosening his grip on Ariel.

Eric punched Urchin in the face, and Ariel took this opportunity to run away and back up to the castle steps, her heart beating with fear and confusion. Urchin tried to stand up and start after her again, but Eric pushed him down. Before the two began to fight, Ursula snapped her fingers and the two were frozen.

"Oh, I see you couldn't quite get her to agree." Ursula said with mock sympathy. "Ariel, come here, dear!"

Ariel shook her head and stayed put, as most rational people would do.

"Urchin," Cassandra said with deathly calmness. "What is she talking about."

"You didn't tell her? Dear me, dear me, a lie is not the way to begin such an eternal relationship." Ursula clicked her tongue. "Well, I'll be happy to fill in the blanks."

The momentary spell was wearing off, and Eric and Urchin began to fidget, but could not quite move yet.

"Urchin wanted to be with you, darling." Ursula looked at Cassandra wickedly. "But there was something keeping you apart…" she grabbed a bottle Flotsam was holding, poured some of the fine powder into her hand and threw it in the air. A scene materialized, blurry around the edges.

"My darling helper, back so soon?" Ursula leered, pursing her lips into a hideous pout and leaning forward.

_"I need your help." Urchin gritted his teeth. There was no other way to do this._

_It showed Urchin as a merman, swimming closer to Ursula and sitting down in her lair._

Cassandra held her mouth agape and turned and stared at Urchin. "You're a merman?" she said softly.

"Cassandra-" Urchin began but cut off.

"Did this slip your mind? Did you just forget to tell me? No!" Cassandra protested. "You didn't tell me the truth – and that's a kind of lying! You _lied_ to me Urchin!"

"Oh dear, darling!" Ursula said with false sympathy. "Just keep watching first, speak later!"

Cassandra, against wiser thoughts, turned her full attention back to Ursula and watched the rest of the scene.

_"Yes, of course, what is it?" Ursula smiled._

_"I need you to make me human – just for a couple days! Then we'll go from there."_

_"What happened here?" Ursula smiled wickedly. "What happened to young Ariel?"_

_"I was an idiot." Urchin mumbled. "I liked her, I've always liked her. She's pretty, I've always known that. But I was never in love with her, and I kept trying to trick myself into thinking I was. But," he smiled now, "when I was up on land, I met this girl, Cassandra, and she's just-"_

_"And now you want to be with her, yes, yes, yes." Ursula flicked her hand. Her face split into a smile. "I'll tell you what. If you can get Cassandra to fall in love with you, and agree to become a mermaid, in no more than three sunsets, then you two can live happily ever after. In return, you must sacrifice Ariel to me, tell no one, refuse to protect her, and lead me to her however I see fit."_

_Urchin gulped._

_"And of course, you understand that if you fail, I will be bringing Cassandra back with me down into the ocean and leaving you up on the land. I'm not going unrewarded here. It's a tough deal, I know, but how much do you really love her? Enough to take this leap? Enough to give up Ariel?"_

_Urchin floated in silence for a moment. Looking up powerfully, he nodded his head and said "You've got a deal."_

Ariel came running back down from the beach, reaching the group as the spell was lifted off Urchin and Eric. Eric took Urchin down again.

"You offered to sacrifice her, like some _possession_, like an _animal_?" Eric demanded, grabbing Urchin's collar.

"Ariel I'm sorry! I had to!" Urchin insisted, trying to sit up.

"You didn't have to!" Ariel screamed, clutching her fists.

"And what of me!" Cassandra bellowed so loudly that all three turned to look at her. "I'm not letting you give up Ariel - now I'm the pawn! Now I'm gone!"

"Well, if you insist…" Ursula grabbed another potion from her eels. Uncorking it, she readied herself.

"No!" Urchin pushed Eric off, his voice choking.

Cassandra shrunk back as the potion came flying towards her. Urchin threw himself in front of her, and began to feel himself being pulled into the ocean.

Resisting momentarily, he grabbed Cassandra and kissed her. "I'm stupid, so stupid." He admitted, nodding. "But I love you so much." He kissed her again as he was pulled back, transforming back into a merman and disappearing to the mysterious fathoms below.

**Do you guys think there should be a sequel? Review and tell me!**


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